Biology subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Barratt, C. L. R..
We have adapted the cell painting assay developed by Carpenter and colleagues on cultured U2OS cells to human spermatozoa. In Sperm Cell Painting (SCP) we assemble an image-based quantitative fingerprint of the functional state of sperm. We use this assay to gain insight into the mechanism of action of compounds that modify sperm function and as a platform for contraceptive discovery.
Autophagy has been implicated in male fertility but its specific role in the post-testicular organs remains unclear. Here, we investigate this in mice expressing a doxycycline-inducible RNAi against Atg5 (Atg5i). Systemic autophagy inhibition in Atg5i mice resulted in the morphological and functional abrogation of the male accessory sex organs, leading to male subfertility. However, the testis was largely protected, likely due to the limited permeability of doxycycline through the blood-testis barrier. Interestingly, restoration of autophagy by doxycycline withdrawal in Atg5i mice led to substantial recovery of the phenotype in the accessory organs. This model offers a unique opportunity to dissect the pre- and post-testicular roles of autophagy, highlighting the non-autonomous impact of autophagy on male fertility.