Sodium Hydrogen Exchangers (NHEs) are a family of proteins which are important for regulating the pH of a cell. Previous studies have found certain NHE proteins to be essential for sperm cell motility and fertility. There still remains one completely uncharacterized NHE protein: the NHE11 protein. Work in our lab has found that in mammals, the NHE11 protein is only made in sperm. Specifically, the NHE11 protein localizes to the sperm head, which is of interest because it is the only NHE known to do so in mammals. However, the exact role of NHE11 in male fertility remains unknown. This study aims to elucidate the role of NHE11 using gene edited mice. Our research group is using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technologies to produce mice which do not make a functional NHE11 protein. Once these gene-edited mice are generated, we will be able to perform experiments to test the physiology and fertilization capability of their sperm to determine how the loss of NHE11 affects male 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 to act as either a male fertility treatment, or a male contraceptive. This time spent researching in the lab has been a useful experience, as I plan on continuing to pursue biological research as a physician scientist.
Author: Jason Abele
Advisor: Paul James, Biology
Graduate Advisor: Cameron Gardner, Biology
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