Physiological and cellular regulation of stem cell and spermatogonial renewal in the primate testis.

Description of projects available to graduate students:
Dr. Plant’s research is aimed at obtaining an integrated understanding of the regulation of fertility in men and his laboratory employs non-human primate paradigms to explore this problem. He is currently studying the cell biology of stem cell and spermatogonial renewal in the testis of the rhesus monkey. Dr. Plant’s laboratory is also interested in the structural and molecular hypothalamic plasticity that triggers puberty in higher primates.

Techniques graduate student will learn:
Techniques used in the Plant laboratory include laser dissection, quantitative RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, physiological hormone replacements treatment.