Linked Life Data

10898932

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/10898932

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
2000-8-21
pubmed:abstractText
Sperm-egg interaction is a carbohydrate-mediated species-specific event which initiates a signal transduction cascade resulting in the exocytosis of sperm acrosomal contents (i.e., the acrosome reaction). This step is believed to be a prerequisite which enables the acrosome-reacted spermatozoa to penetrate the zona pellucida (ZP) and fertilize the egg. Successful fertilization in the mouse and several other species, including man, involves several sequential steps. These are (1) sperm capacitation in the female genital tract; (2) binding of capacitated spermatozoa to the egg's extracellular coat, the ZP; (3) induction of acrosome reaction (i.e., sperm activation); (4) penetration of the ZP; and (5) fusion of spermatozoon with the egg vitelline membrane. This minireview focuses on the most important aspects of the sperm acrosome, from its formation during sperm development in the testis (spermatogenesis) to its modification in the epididymis and function following sperm-egg interaction. Special emphasis has been given to spermatogenesis, a complex process involving multiple molecular events during mitotic cell division, meiosis, and the process of spermiogenesis. The last event is the final phase when a nondividing round spermatid is transformed into the complex structure of the spermatozoon containing a well-developed acrosome. Our intention is also to briefly discuss the functional significance of the contents of the sperm acrosome during fertilization. It is important to mention that only the carbohydrate-recognizing receptor molecules (glycohydrolases, glycosyltransferases, and/or lectin-like molecules) present on the surface of capacitated spermatozoa are capable of binding to their complementary glycan chains on the ZP. The species-specific binding event starts a calcium-dependent signal transduction pathway resulting in sperm activation. The hydrolytic and proteolytic enzymes released at the site of sperm-zona interaction along with the enhanced thrust of the hyperactivated beat pattern of the bound spermatozoon, are important factors in regulating the penetration of the zona-intact egg.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
0003-9861
pubmed:author
pubmed:copyrightInfo
Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
15
pubmed:volume
379
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
173-82
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2000
pubmed:articleTitle
Mammalian sperm acrosome: formation, contents, and function.
pubmed:affiliation
UFR Biomedicale, Université René Descartes, 45, Rue des Saints-Pères, Paris, 75270, France.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Review