The interaction of sperm and egg and, thus, the fertilisation process seems to involve the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which is crucial for the initiation of the adaptive immune response. Using two fish models, the relevance of optimal individual MHC diversity for spermatogenesis, sperm function, and sperm-egg interaction will be experimentally tested. This approach is combined with the analysis of human genomic datasets. Thereby, insights on the role of MHC in the fertilisation process and of genetic variants affecting the function of the complex in male infertility will be gained.
| Kurtz, Joachim | |
| Peuß, Robert |
| Kurtz, Joachim | |
| Peuß, Robert |
Duration: 01/04/2026 - 31/12/2029 | 1st Funding period Funded by: DFG - Collaborative Research Centre Type of project: Main DFG-project hosted at University of Münster |