Reproduction
Dr. Mendis-Handagama is well known not only for her contributions to the field of reproductive biology, but to the field of stereology . She uses state of the art-stereological techniques in her research to quantify testicular components, cells and subcellularorganelles by volume, number, and surface area. Dr. Mendis-Handagama was the first to introduce the application of the disector principle (an unbiased stereological concept to quantify particles in a given space) to count cells in tissues, specifically the cells in the testis (J. Microsc. Oxford. 1990;159:73-82) This technique is now widely used nationally and internationally in many leading research laboratories to quantify cells in the testis. This state-of-the-art methodology is routinely performed in her laboratory with an advanced electronic and a precision optical combined system as shown.
A Philips 201 C transmission electron microscope is available to carry out regular and immuno electron microscopy with immuno gold techniques
Transgenic mouse (gifted by Dr. R. Behringer, Texas) over-expresses anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and is used in the research on Leydig cell differentiation. AMH is suggested as a negative regulator of the process of Leydig cell differentiation.