The spermatogenesis is the process by which spermatozoa are generated in the testes. The spermatozoa travel male reproductive tract during which they meet many substances secreted from reproductive organs. One of the substances is epididymal protease inhibitor (EPPIN) that is involved in the post-testicular maturation including capability of fertilizing the eggs. The expression of EPPIN gene was investigated in various tissues of sexually mature and regressed male Syrian hamsters by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The EPPIN gene was identified in the testis and epididymis of the male Syrian hamsters and compared to the genes reported previously. There was no expression of EPPIN gene in reproductively and completely regressed testes of Syrian hamster. These results suggest that the expressions of the EPPIN gene are associated with the reproductive capability in the Syrian hamsters.

ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
  1. Mature Syrian hamsters and tissue sampling
  2. Postnatal expression of EPPIN gene
  3. Sperm observation
  4. Primers
  5. Total RNA extraction
  6. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)
  7. Elution and Sequence determination of EPPIN gene
 RESULTS 
  1. Identification of EPPIN gene
  2. Comparison of the EPPIN genes
  3. Postnatal expression of EPPIN gene
  4. Expression of EPPIN gene in sexually regressed testis
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES

• Jong In Park(Dept. of Life Science, College of Environmental Sciences, Yong-In University)
• Byung Hyun Jeon(Dept. of Life Science, College of Environmental Sciences, Yong-In University)
• Tae Hong Kim(Dept. of Life Science, College of Environmental Sciences, Yong-In University)
• Hyung June Kim(Dept. of Life Science, College of Environmental Sciences, Yong-In University)
• Donchan Choi(Dept. of Life Science, College of Environmental Sciences, Yong-In University) Corresponding Author