• PMID: 12680324
• Gene Name: TERT
• Condition: Male infertility, maturation arrest
• Association: Associated
• Population size: 57
• Population details: 57 (47 infertile male, 10 normal testicular tissues)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: TERT
• Other associated phenotypes: Male infertility, maturation arrest

[Expression of telomerase gene hTERT in testes of infertile male and its significance]

Ye ZW, Chen XC, Ping H, Yang XP, Yang Y, Hou L, Lu GC.

OBJECTIVES: To study the expression and the significance of telomerase gene hTERT in testes of infertile male. METHODS: By using in situ hybridization(ISH) techniques, the expression of telomerase gene hTERT mRNA in testes of 47 infertile male and 10 normal testicular tissues were observed. RESULTS: In male testes, there was a positive correlation between the expression of hTERT and the quantity and density of germ cells(spermatogonia, spermatocyte, spermatid). The expression of hTERT in some germinal cell of maturation arrest patients were not significantly different with those of normal. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the deficiency of telomerase might be a factor for germinal cell maturation arrest and there might be some other etiological factors in these patients. Our study provides experimental groundwork for the gene therapy of male infertility. FAU - Ye, Zhe-Wei AU - Ye ZW AD - Department of Orthopaedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. Zhewei@public.wh.hb.cn FAU - Chen, Xiao-Chun AU - Chen XC FAU - Ping, Hao AU - Ping H FAU - Yang, Xiu-Ping AU - Yang XP FAU - Yang, Yu AU - Yang Y FAU - Hou, Lin AU - Hou L