Thesis subject

Role of the IGF-system in male/female reproduction

The insulin-like growth factors (IGF) have in the past been shown to be important for normal fertility. It is however not clear whether it is the locally (in the gonad) produced IGF is essential for normal fertility or whether systemic IGF (produced by the liver) is also involved, and whether locally produced and systemic IGF make use of the same signal transduction pathway when influencing follicle development in the ovary or Leydig cell/Sertoli cell function and thus germ cell formation in the testis.

Aim: To analyse the pathway(s) along which IGF can influence either ovarian follicle development or the formation of germ cells in the testis, and whether there exist differences in the effects of locally and peripherally produced IGF.