A genetic mutation in mice affects cells required for sexual reproduction and holds clues about male infertility that could pave the way for new treatments and male contraceptives, a Rutgers University–New Brunswick researcher and colleagues have discovered. Writing in Nature Communications, Devanshi Jain, an assistant professor with the Department of Genetics at the School of Arts and Sciences, addresses a fundamental question about how humans and animals develop germ cells that go on to form sperm.
“We discovered that when mouse germ cells aren’t properly connected to each other by intercellular bridges – links between cells that allow for communication and exchange of resources – they are unable to complete many of the processes necessary for development and survival, such as replicating their DNA and repairing DNA breaks,” Jain said. In the United States, more than 11% of men under the age of 49 are infertile. While the causes are varied and range from infections to hormonal imbalances, deformities during meiosis – a specialized cell division process that creates sperm and eggs – is a leading cause. Jain’s lab specializes in identifying and studying meiotic defects in mice. To read the full story.