Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Infertility in Males

Infertility in Males

Male infertility affects millions of couples worldwide, arising from various factors that impact different stages of the reproductive process. An endocrine imbalance resulting from conditions like hypogonadism, Klinefelter syndrome, or pituitary disorders can disrupt hormone levels and reduce sperm production. Testicular defects, such as tumors, cryptorchidism, atrophic testes, abnormal sperm morphology, and low sperm count or motility, may arise due to genetic factors, structural...

Disorders of the Male Reproductive System

Disorders of the Male Reproductive System

Men's health issues are increasingly recognized as significant, with several conditions posing common threats. Among these, testicular cancer is especially prevalent in younger men, particularly those aged 20 to 35 years. The disease often manifests as a painless mass in the testicles, sometimes accompanied by a sensation of heaviness or a dull ache.
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra....

The Y Chromosome Determines Maleness

The Y Chromosome Determines Maleness

The Y chromosome is a sex chromosome found in several vertebrates and mammals, including humans. In addition to 22 pairs of autosomes, the human males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. In these organisms, the presence or absence of the Y chromosome determines the development of male traits.
Evolution
Around 300 million years ago, the two sex chromosomes diverged from two identical autosomal chromosomes. Over time, the Y chromosome has lost most of its genes, shrinking in size....

Potential Energy

Potential Energy

The energy stored by a structure and location of matter in space is called potential energy. For instance, raising a kettlebell changes its spatial location and increases its potential energy. Similarly, a stretched rubber band contains potential energy which, under certain conditions, can be converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy.
Chemical bonds that form attractive forces between atoms also contain potential energy, called chemical energy. When a chemical reaction...

Accessory Ducts of the Male Reproductive System

Accessory Ducts of the Male Reproductive System

The male reproductive system is a complex network of organs and tissues that work together to produce and transport sperm. The epididymis, vasa deferens, ejaculatory ducts, and urethra are the accessory ducts involved in sperm maturation and transportation. These ducts play a critical role in the production and transportation of sperm from the testes to the urethra, where it is then released during ejaculation.
The epididymis is a small, comma-shaped organ located at the back of each testicle....

Accessory Glands of the Male Reproductive System

Accessory Glands of the Male Reproductive System

The accessory ducts involved in sperm maturation and transportation include the epididymides, vasa deferentia, ejaculatory ducts, and urethra. These ducts play a critical role in the maturation, storage, and transportation of sperm from the testes to the urethra, where it is then released during ejaculation.
The epididymis is a small, comma-shaped organ located at the back of each testicle. The epididymis can be divided into three main parts: the head, body, and tail. The head of the epididymis...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Modelling photon absorption rate for predicting optimal carotenoid production in purple phototrophic bacteria under diverse light sources.

Bioresource technology·2026

Same author

Screening psychobiotic bacteria in the human colonic microbiota under high perceived stress.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Purple phototrophic bacteria release crotonate as a metabolic overflow pathway.

Communications biology·2026

Same author

Nanocondensate bioadhesive delivery via metal-halogenated catechol coordination in tunicate rhizoid holdfasts.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Fundamental aspects of sucrose metabolism reveal a trophic link between <i>Rhodospirillum rubrum</i> and <i>Rhodobacter capsulatus</i>.

mBio·2026

Same author

New moonlighting activities for various GroEL/Hsp60 proteins, mainly characterized using recombinant M. tuberculosis GroEL1.

International journal of biological macromolecules·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Novel Object Exploration as a Potential Assay for Higher Order Repetitive Behaviors in Mice

Novel Object Exploration as a Potential Assay for Higher Order Repetitive Behaviors in Mice

Published on: August 20, 2016

Exploring QRICH2 as a potential male contraceptive target.

Amandine Delnatte¹, Messaline Inglese¹, Jérôme Delroisse²

¹Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute for Biosciences, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons 7000, Belgium.

Reproduction (Cambridge, England)

|January 23, 2026

Summary

Researchers identified the sperm protein QRICH2 as a potential target for male contraception. This protein is essential for fertility and found exclusively in testes, making it a promising candidate for new contraceptive development.

Keywords:

QRICH2 humans male contraception non-hormonal contraceptive target spermatogenesis testis-specific expression

More Related Videos

Assessment of Sexual Behavior of Male Mice

Assessment of Sexual Behavior of Male Mice

Published on: March 5, 2020

Transurethral Instillation Procedure in Adult Male Mouse

Transurethral Instillation Procedure in Adult Male Mouse

Published on: November 2, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Novel Object Exploration as a Potential Assay for Higher Order Repetitive Behaviors in Mice

Novel Object Exploration as a Potential Assay for Higher Order Repetitive Behaviors in Mice

Published on: August 20, 2016

Assessment of Sexual Behavior of Male Mice

Assessment of Sexual Behavior of Male Mice

Published on: March 5, 2020

Transurethral Instillation Procedure in Adult Male Mouse

Transurethral Instillation Procedure in Adult Male Mouse

Published on: November 2, 2017

Area of Science:

Reproductive Biology
Molecular Biology
Contraceptive Development

Background:

Male contraceptive options are limited, necessitating research into novel targets.
QRICH2 (glutamine-rich protein 2) is a sperm protein essential for male fertility across species.
Limited data exists on human QRICH2, hindering its contraceptive potential assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize human QRICH2 and evaluate its suitability as a male contraceptive target.
To investigate QRICH2 expression and localization in human sperm and tissues.

Main Methods:

Mass spectrometry to identify expressed QRICH2 isoforms in human sperm.
In silico analysis to assess QRICH2 conservation and paralogs.
Immunodetection and proteomic analysis to determine tissue specificity and localization.

Main Results:

QRICH2 has no human paralogs and is conserved in mammals, with key functional domains.
QRICH2 expression is restricted to human testes.
QRICH2 localizes to various sperm compartments, including the head and flagellum, acting as a cytoskeletal component.

Conclusions:

QRICH2 is a highly promising target for male contraceptive development due to its essential role in fertility and tissue-specific expression.
Further research into QRICH2 inhibition strategies is warranted for novel male contraceptive applications.