Document Type
Dissertation - University Access Only
Award Date
1999
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department / School
Biology and Microbiology
Abstract
Apoptosis is a mode of regulated cell death characterized by specific morphological changes and a cascade of biochemical events. Recent studies of spermatogenic cell populations have uncovered an essential role of apoptosis for the regulation of numbers of germ cells in testes. During normal spermatogenesis, more than half of the germ cells undergo apoptosis, but the physiological significance and molecular mechanisms of this programmed cell death are largely unknown. Preliminary investigations have uncovered strong correlations between the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), a flow cytometric assay which measures abnormal denaturation of sperm nuclear DNA in situ; and DNA strand breaks, one of the classic hallmarks of apoptotic cells. By applying test methods which detect biochemical changes in apoptotic somatic cells, we have investigated the possibility of an apoptotic process in testicular and sperm cell populations that demonstrate increased susceptibility to acid-induced DNA denaturation as measured by SCSA parameters.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Spermatogenesis in animals Mammals -- Spermatozoa Apoptosis Germ cells
Format
application/pdf
Number of Pages
136
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Bjordahl, Janet Christensen, "Apoptosis in Mammalian Spermatogenesis : Can Mature Sperm be Apoptotic?" (1999). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 627.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd2/627