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The research interest in the Uzumcu laboratory is testis and ovary development in mammals. Specific interests are roles of local paracrine factors, hormones, and environmental factors, such endocrine disruptors in gonadal differentiation, development, and function.
The current research focus of the lab is to investigate (i) the effect of environmental endocrine disruptors, such as methoxychlor (MXC) and its major metabolite HPTE and mono-OH MXC, on the differentiation, development, and function of the ovary and female fertility, (ii) molecular and cellular mechanisms through which endocrine disruptors interferes with these biological processes, and (iii) epigenetic effects of endocrine disruptors in females. The adverse developmental effects of endocrine disruptors on female fertility have been shown, and these effects were primarily attributed to actions on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis. However, it is not exactly known whether endocrine disruptors also directly act on the ovary during development leading to ovarian abnormalities, such as polycystic ovary syndrome in adult stage. The lab employs in vitro and in vivo experimental models to answer this question.
Another research focus of the lab is to investigate the role of local paracrine factors on testicular development. The testis differentiates from bipotential gonad under the influence of sex-determining region of Y chromosome (Sry) in mammals. This effect of Sry is primarily mediated by local growth factors. Some of these growth factors also plays role in the further development and adult function of the testis. Specifically, the lab studies role of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the testis differentiation, development, and function. The role of HGF in the testis differentiation and development has been studied using in vitro models. However, its roles in vivo are not exactly known because HGF-/- mice are embryonic lethal prior to gonad differentiation. We use targeted transgenic mice to study the in vivo role of HGF in the testis biology.
A new research focus in the lab is to investigate the effects of another environmental factor alcohol on the ovarian development and function. Specifically, our laboratory is interested in the effects of alcohol exposure during late gestation and early postpartum period on egg quality of the offspring and the viability of embryos that are formed from these eggs. The long-term goal is to study the adverse health consequences of alcohol exposure on the offspring during adult stage. The immediate and direct effects of alcohol on the egg and preimplantation embryo have been studied, but the delayed effect of developmental exposure on the offspring and the adverse health consequences are not exactly known. We employ rats as an experimental animal model to study these effects.
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