Use of Molecular Modeling to Study Spermatogenesis: An Overview Using Proteins in Sertoli Cells

Computational structure prediction and analysis helps in understanding the structure and function of varied proteins, which otherwise becomes implausible to understand by experimental procedures. Computational techniques prove to be instrumental in understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlies physiological processes and thereby also assist in identification of potent inhibitors. Spermatogenesis, being an important cellular process that decides the fate of the progeny, holds numerous molecular interaction data, which when identified and visualized with computational structural insights, might yield a cohesive and clear-cut perception to the functionality of several proteins involved. The present chapter deals with a few selected applications of computational structure prediction towards understanding the structure of proteins and highlights how these insights are useful in providing a better understanding of different processes in spermatogenesis.