Patch clamp studies on the epididymis

Professor Wong, Patrick Yee Ding   (Principal Investigator)

1988-05-01

20000

Patch clamp studies on the epididymis

null

N/A

N/A

Sun Yat Sen Fund

1989

Completed

The epididymis is known to secrete anions and fluid when stimulated with secretomotor agonists. Anion secretion plays an important role in the maintenance of a normal fluid environment within the epididymal duct in which spermatozoa are bathed. It is thought that defective secretory mechanism in the epididymis would lead to obstruction of the epididymal duct by inspissated material, hence giving rise to the obstructive azoospermia seen in cystic fibrosis, Young Syndrome and cases of unexplained male infertility. The aim of the present work is to use the patch clamp technique to characterize ion channels on the epididymal cells. This work will shed light on the secretory mechanism at the molecular level.