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Research Interests
Spermatogenesis, spermatogonial stem cells, Sertoli cells.
Research Summary
My lab investigates the regulation of sperm production in mice, bulls and pigs. We investigate the biological activity of spermatogonial stem cells and the regulation of Sertoli cells in the testis. Spermatogonial stem cells are an adult stem cell population in the testis that provides differentiated cells for the continuous production of sperm in adult males while also maintaining a stem cell population. We investigate the factors that regulate spermatogonial stem cell biological activity in vivo and in vitro. The approach allows us to answer basic questions regarding the differentiation and self-renewal of these unique cells. Sertoli cells are the somatic cells that support germ cell differentiation in the testis and are essential for sperm production. We are interested in determining how the Sertoli cell population is established in the testis and how this effects sperm production in adult animals. This research has impacts in the basic understanding of reproduction in model species such as mice and reproductive efficiency in livestock.
Research Publications
McLean, DJ. 2005. Spermatogonial stem cell transplantation and
testicular function. Cell Tissue Res. 322(1):21-31.
Khaira H, McLean D, Ohl D, Smith GD. 2005. Spermatogonial stem cell
isolation, storage and transplantation. J Androl 26(4):442-50.
Oatley JM, Reeves JJ, McLean DJ. 2005. Establishment of
spermatogenesis in neonatal bovine testicular tissue following
ectopic xenografting varies with donor age. Biol Reprod, 72:
358-364.
Oatley JM, Reeves JJ, McLean DJ. 2004. Biological activity of
cryopreserved bovine spermatogonial stem cells during in vitro
culture. Biol Reprod, 71:942-947.
McLean DJ, Friel PJ, Pouchnik DJ, Griswold MD. 2002. Oligonucleotide microarray ananlysis of gene expression in FSH treated rat Sertoli cells. Mol Endo, in press.
McLean DJ, Russell LD, Griswold MD. 2002. Biological Activity and Enrichment of Spermatogonial Stem Cells in VAD and Hyperthermia Exposed Testes from Mice Based on Colonization Following Germ Cell Transplantation. Biol Reprod, 66:1374-1379.