What role does Bax play during gonocyte transformation into spermatogonial stem cells?

Summary This study will use mouse model to examine the role of an apoptosis regulator, Bax, in removing persisting gonocytes from the testicular tubules so that they do not mutate into CIS cells and testicular seminomas after puberty. The study will involve use mouse flow cytometry immunohistochemistry with molecular markers and confocal microscopy.

Project Details

Congenital undescended testis (UDT), or cryptorchidism, affects 2-4% of newborn boys and leads to a 5-10 fold increase in testicular cancer (seminoma), and 30-60% risk of infertility.  Seminomas in young men with UDT arise from immature germ cells which failed in both transformation into spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) and apoptosis. We propose that persisting neonatal germ cells (gonocytes) are the results of gonocytes that failed to transform into SCC or failed to disappear by apoptosis. This study will use mouse model to examine the role of an apoptosis regulator, Bax, in removing persisting gonocytes from the testicular tubules so that they do not mutate into CIS cells and testicular seminomas after puberty. The study will involve use mouse flow cytometry immunohistochemistry with molecular markers and confocal microscopy.