Faculty and Research Interests

Nuria Pastor-Soler
M.D., Ph.D., Thomas Jefferson University

This laboratory's research focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which hormonally active compounds and environmental pollutants, such as heavy metals, affect epithelial proton secretion in the male reproductive tract. Impairment of epididymal and vas deferens luminal acidification may have profound effects on male fertility. The luminal environment of these organs is tightly regulated and maintained at an acidic pH in order to keep spermatozoa from achieving motility. The vacuolar proton ATPase (V-ATPase), which is also present in kidney epithelial cells, is in part responsible for epididymal luminal acidification. Specifically, the research in this laboratory studies the effects of hormones and heavy metals on V-ATPase expression and trafficking in epididymal clear cells.This laboratory's research focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which hormonally active compounds and environmental pollutants, such as heavy metals, affect epithelial proton secretion in the male reproductive tract. Impairment of epididymal and vas deferens luminal acidification may have profound effects on male fertility. The luminal environment of these organs is tightly regulated and maintained at an acidic pH in order to keep spermatozoa from achieving motility. The vacuolar proton ATPase (V-ATPase), which is also present in kidney epithelial cells, is in part responsible for epididymal luminal acidification. Specifically, the research in this laboratory studies the effects of hormones and heavy metals on V-ATPase expression and trafficking in epididymal clear cells.

Representative Publications

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