ABSTRACT
I. Introduction................................................................................. 131 II. Male Reproductive Defects in
Goku
Mice ................................. 132 A. Lack of Copulatory Behavior in
Goku
Male Mice .............. 132 B. Impaired Spermatogenesis in
Goku
Males .......................... 133 C. Hormonal Levels and an Attempt to Restore the
Phenotype of
Goku
Mice by Androgen Administration ...................................................................... 135
D. Immunolocalization of Steroid Receptors and Other Related Molecules in the Brain and Testis ............... 135
III. Functions of Puromycin-Sensitive Aminopeptidase in Male Reproduction ..................................................................... 136 A. Copulatory Behavior ............................................................. 136 B. Spermatogenesis .................................................................... 137 C. Putative Role of Psa
In Vivo
................................................. 137 IV. Summary...................................................................................... 138 V. Acknowledgments ...................................................................... 138
References ............................................................................................. 139
Male reproductive performance is composed of two principal elements, copulation and spermatogenesis. The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis is crucial for germ cell development, reproductive organ function, and sexual behavior. A number of molecules have been investigated to determine
their involvement in the appearance of reproductive performance in males.
