Sodium Hydrogen Exchangers (NHEs) are a family of proteins which are important for maintaining the pH of a cell. A few NHEs have been found to be essential for the function and fertility of sperm cells. One of these in particular, NHE11, is exclusively expressed in the sperm and testes. NHE11 is also the only NHE to remain completely uncharacterized in terms of its function and role in male fertility. This study aims to elucidate the role of NHE11 using gene edited mice. Our research group is using CRISPR/Cas9 technologies to produce mice which do not express the gene for NHE11. Now that we’ve created these mice, we are performing experiments to test the physiology and fertilization capability of their sperm to determine what role NHE11 plays in their fertility. Once more is known about the role that NHE11 plays in male fertility, it could possibly serve as a target for drugs to either enhance or dampen its activity. This would have the potential for either a male birth control, or a male fertility treatment. This time spent researching in the lab has been useful experience, as I plan on continuing to pursue biological research as a physician scientist.
Author(s): Jason Abele, Biology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Major
Advisor(s): Paul James, Department of Biology
Cameron Gardner, Department of Biology
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