Chinese scientists have discovered four human genes never made public in the world. The seven-year project involved a group of scientists at the No.1 Hospital attached to the Huaxi University of Medical Science in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
"The discovery of the new genes lays a foundation for the treatment of azoospermia patients," said Zhang Sizhong, who was in charge of the research project.
The research fellows picked out five out of 100 azoospermia patients and extracted their DNA for testing the difference of nucleic acid. They located more than 100 different fragments and compared them with that extracted from men with fertility.
The researchers found the first new gene with relation to azoospermia in November 1999 and the other three genes since then. Further research shows that the new genes only exist in the testicles of adult males.
Zhang said his group will continue to study the function of each gene in different stages of azoospermia.
(Xinhua 03/12/2001)
