Molecular mechanisms for seminal fluid signalling in reproduction. Male seminal fluid regulation of the female reproductive process influences fertility and fecundity in humans and animal species. Infertility and impaired reproductive function is a major economic constraint in livestock industries, and carries a substantial social and public health cost in humans. This research will identify the active signalling molecules in seminal fluid and quantify their importance in reproductive success ....Molecular mechanisms for seminal fluid signalling in reproduction. Male seminal fluid regulation of the female reproductive process influences fertility and fecundity in humans and animal species. Infertility and impaired reproductive function is a major economic constraint in livestock industries, and carries a substantial social and public health cost in humans. This research will identify the active signalling molecules in seminal fluid and quantify their importance in reproductive success and health of offspring. The outcomes will inform development of new diagnostic assays for male fertility, and underpin strategic design of novel fertility treatments and products with applications in the human health and animal breeding industries. Read moreRead less
Mechanistic basis of a reproductive lesion in transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFb1) null mutant mice. Null mutation in the gene encoding the cytokine transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFb1) causes infertility in male and female mice. In recent experiments we have found that TGFb1 deficiency is associated with impaired ovarian and testicular steroidogenesis, arrested development of pre-implantation embryos and disrupted mammary gland morphogenesis. The aims of the current project are to un ....Mechanistic basis of a reproductive lesion in transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFb1) null mutant mice. Null mutation in the gene encoding the cytokine transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFb1) causes infertility in male and female mice. In recent experiments we have found that TGFb1 deficiency is associated with impaired ovarian and testicular steroidogenesis, arrested development of pre-implantation embryos and disrupted mammary gland morphogenesis. The aims of the current project are to unravel the mechanistic basis of the reproductive lesion in TGFb1 null mutant mice and to determine the effect of exogenous systemic delivery of TGFb1 in alleviating this lesion. It is expected that the project will provide new insight into key roles for TGFb1 in governing male and female fertility, and shed light on the prospects for exogenous supplementation of TGFb1 for improving reproductive performance in wild-type animals. This knowledge has potentially important applications in the livestock breeding industry, in devising novel contraceptive vaccine strategies, in the human pharmaceutical industry, and in devising novel contraceptive vaccine strategies.Read moreRead less
Interactions between cells and extracellular matrix in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of the ovarian follicular stratified epithelium. The lining of many mammalian organs and cavities contain cells that can transform into different cells to bring about organ development or repair but if it goes horribly wrong the cells become metastatic cancers. This project examines the key features of this process especially the roles of matrix that develops around the cells in this process.