| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,860,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥660,000)
Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Sperm undergo functional maturation by selectively taking up molecules during epididymal transit, in order to become competent to fertilize egg (so called epididymal maturation). Recent studies showed that this process is mediated by exosomes secreted from epididymal epithelia. However, the mechanism involved in selective acquirement of molecules is poorly understood. This led us to investigate the mechanism for epididymal maturation with particular focus on membrane function.
Given results suggested that sperm selectively acquire protein from exosomes. Regulatory mechanism of pH that is known to affect protein acquirement was suggested to involve the cellular signaling pathway. In addition to this, results suggested the possibility that secretion of exosomes mainly occurs in caput epididymis.
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