The roles of activin A and Ipo5 in spermatogonial stem cell biology

In Australia, 1 in 6 men is infertile, and in many cases, the underlying causes are unclear. Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential for male fertility, and remarkably, they can restore spermatogenesis (the process of making viable sperm) following disruption. My thesis explored the contributions of elevated activin A and the nuclear transport factor, Importin 5, to SSC function and biology. This research highlights how inappropriate levels of activin A disrupts SSC development in both juvenile and adults, and identifies molecules important to their long-term survival.