Walker Research Group

Principal Investigator: William Walker, PhD

Dr. Walker studies male fertility and focuses on the regulation of spermatogenesis by the Sertoli cell in the mammalian testis. Using Sertoli cells and testis tissue isolated from rats, as well as genetically modified mice, Dr. Walker is investigating the molecular mechanisms by which follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone alter Sertoli cell signaling pathways to result in the production of factors that are required for the development and survival of germ cells as they differentiate into sperm.

Specific Areas of Research Include:

The major focus of the Walker Research Group is to define how hormonal and environmental signals are transduced into changes in the activity of signaling pathways, gene expression, and the differentiation of Sertoli cells in the testis. The mammalian testis is used as a model system to determine how follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone, and other hormones alter cell signaling pathways to regulate the genes that are required for male fertility. Research in the Walker lab focuses on two major topics:

  1. The molecular mechanisms of testosterone in the Sertoli cells that are required to support of male fertility and
  2. The regulation of Sertoli cell differentiation.

For more research information, download Research Group Interests.

Contact Information

William H, Walker, PhD

Magee-Womens Research Institute
204 Craft Avenue, A608
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412-641-7672
Fax: 412-641-7676
Email

Selected Publications

  • Shupe J, Cheng J, Puri P, Kostereva N, Walker WH. Regulation of Sertoli-germ cell adhesion and sperm release by FSH and non-classical testosterone signaling. Mol Endocrinol. 2011 Feb;25(2):238-52. Epub 2010 Dec 22. PubMed PMID: 21177760.
  • Walker WH. Non-classical actions of testosterone and spermatogenesis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2010 May 27;365(1546):1557-69. Review. PubMed PMID: 20403869; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2871922.
  • Gassei K, Ehmcke J, Wood MA, Walker WH, Schlatt S. Immature rat seminiferous tubules reconstructed in vitro express markers of Sertoli cell maturation after xenografting into nude mouse hosts. Mol Hum Reprod. 2010 Feb;16(2):97-110. Epub 2009 Sep 21. PubMed PMID: 19770206; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2803008.
  • Viswanathan P, Wood MA, Walker WH. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) transiently blocks FSH receptor transcription by increasing inhibitor of deoxyribonucleic acid binding/differentiation-2 and decreasing upstream stimulatory factor expression in rat Sertoli cells. Endocrinology. 2009 Aug;150(8):3783-91. Epub 2009 May 7. PubMed PMID: 19423764; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2717885.
  • Walker WH. Molecular mechanisms of testosterone action in spermatogenesis. Steroids. 2009 Jul;74(7):602-7. Epub 2008 Nov 27. Review. PubMed PMID: 19095000.
  • Wood MA, Walker WH. USF1/2 transcription factor DNA-binding activity is induced during rat Sertoli cell differentiation. Biol Reprod. 2009 Jan;80(1):24-33. Epub 2008 Sep 3. PubMed PMID: 18768914; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2804807.