Mouse models of altered gonadotrophin action: insight into male reproductive disorders

Abstract

The advent of technologies to genetically manipulate the mouse genome has revolutionised research approaches, providing a unique platform to study the causality of reproductive disorders in vivo. With the relative ease of generating genetically modified (GM) mouse models, the last two decades have yielded multiple loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutation mouse models to explore the role of gonadotrophins and their receptors in reproductive pathologies. This work has provided key insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying reproductive disorders with altered gonadotrophin action, revealing the fundamental roles of these pituitary hormones and their receptors in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This review will describe GM mouse models of gonadotrophins and their receptors with enhanced or diminished actions, specifically focusing on the male. We will discuss the mechanistic insights gained from these models into male reproductive disorders, and the relationship and understanding provided into male human reproductive disorders originating from altered gonadotrophin action.