$ beta$-Hexosaminidase (Hex) is an essential lysosomal enzyme whose absence in man results in a group of disorders, the G$ sb{ rm M2}$ gangliosidoses which includes Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases. There are two major isoenzymes of Hex, Hex A ($ alpha beta$) and Hex B ($ beta beta$). / Two cell types, apical and narrow cells, in the initial segment of the rat epididymis immunolocalized Hex. Principal cells of the epididymis were intensely reactive for Hex only in the intermediate zone, caput and proximal corpus regions. Clear cells were reactive in the regions of the epididymis where they were found. Electron microscopic immunocytochemistry confirmed the presence of Hex in lysosomes of all reactive cells in the epididymis and of those in Sertoli cells and interstitial macrophages of the testis. / The regulation of Hex in the male reproductive tract was examined in the epididymides of rats at various ages after birth and of adult rats which were orchidectomized and treated with or without testosterone. / To study the impact of absence of Hex in the male reproductive tract, mouse models of human Tay-Sachs (Hexa $-$/$-$) and Sandhoff (Hexb $-$/$-$) diseases, created through gene targeted disruption of the $Hexa ( alpha$-subunit) and $Hexb ( beta$-subunit) genes respectively, were examined. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.23982 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Adamali, Huzaifa Ismail |
| Contributors | Hermo, Louis (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001528896, proquestno: MM19791, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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