$ beta$-Hexosaminidase is a lysosomal enzyme which exists as two isoenzymes: Hex A ($ alpha beta$) and Hex B ($ beta beta$). Its presence in the testis and epididymis suggest important roles for this enzyme and their substrates in male fertility and reproductive functions. The main focus of this investigation was to analyze the effects of a deficiency of these isoenzymes within the male murine reproductive tract. Disruption of the Hexa gene encoding the $ alpha$-subunit of $ beta$-hexosaminidase led to the generation of a mouse model of human Tay-Sachs while disruption of the Hexb gene encoding the $ beta$-subunit of $ beta$-hexosaminidase led to a mouse model of human Sandhoff disease, thus providing the opportunity to analyze the effects of Hex A and Hex B deficiency on epithelial cellular morphology of the male reproductive tract. Analysis of the testis, efferent ducts and epididymidis of 5 weeks, 3, 5 and 12 month old Tay-Sachs (Hexa $-/-$) and 1 and 3 month old Sandhoff (Hexb, $-/-$) was performed; the wild-type (Hexa +/+, Hexb +/+) mice at all ages were also examined as controls. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.27415 |
| Date | January 1997 |
| Creators | Somani, Imtiaz Habib. |
| Contributors | Hermo, Louis (advisor), Trasler, Jacquetia (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: 001549485, proquestno: MQ29790, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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