Megan J McCarthy Graduate Student (M.S. Program)  Major Professor: Trish Berger Phone: 916-752-7544 FAX: (530)752-0175 E-mail: mgmccarthy@ucdavis.edu

Education

B.S., Animal Science, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, 2002
M.S., Animal Science, University of California, Davis, California (In Progress)

Project: 

Title: The effects of reducing endogenous estrogen on testicular development, sperm production and sperm fertility in the boar.

Description: Estrogen, a traditionally "female" hormone appears to have a significant physiological role in male reproduction. While a high percentage of male species produce relatively low levels of circulating estrogen, the stallion and the boar produce extraordinarily high levels (boar = 200-600pg/ml). The boar provided an ideal model for me to study the effects of estrogen on testicular development, sperm production and sperm fertility due to high levels of circulating estrogen and estrogen conjugates,

During initial experiments, Letrozole, an inhibitor of aromatase (the enzyme responsible for converting androgens to estrogens) was administered from the age of one week to 8 months and littermate pairs were castrated at 5, 6, 7 or 8 months. By significantly reducing endogenous estrogen, testicular weights were affected, epididymal sperm numbers were reduced and in-vitro fertilization capacity was compromised. It appears that early in development, endogenous estrogen has a role in reproductive tract development, sperm production/maturation in the boar. Morphology and computer assisted analysis of motion have yet to be analyzed.