Abstract
Fertilin, a member of the ADAM family, is found on the plasma membrane of mammalian sperm. Sperm from mice lacking fertilin beta were shown to be deficient in sperm-egg membrane adhesion, sperm-egg fusion, migration from the uterus into the oviduct, and binding to the egg zona pellucida. Egg activation was unaffected. The results are consistent with a direct role of fertilin in sperm-egg plasma membrane interaction. Fertilin could also have a direct role in sperm-zona binding or oviduct migration; alternatively, the effects on these functions could result from the absence of fertilin activity during spermatogenesis.
Publication types
-
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
-
ADAM Proteins
-
Animals
-
Calcium / metabolism
-
Cell Adhesion
-
Cell Membrane / physiology
-
Fallopian Tubes
-
Female
-
Fertilins
-
Male
-
Membrane Fusion
-
Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
-
Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
-
Membrane Glycoproteins / physiology*
-
Metalloendopeptidases / genetics
-
Metalloendopeptidases / metabolism
-
Metalloendopeptidases / physiology*
-
Mice
-
Mice, Inbred C57BL
-
Mice, Knockout
-
Ovum / physiology
-
Sperm Capacitation
-
Sperm-Ovum Interactions*
-
Spermatogenesis
-
Spermatozoa / chemistry
-
Spermatozoa / physiology*
-
Zona Pellucida / physiology
Substances
-
Membrane Glycoproteins
-
ADAM Proteins
-
Adam2 protein, mouse
-
Fertilins
-
Metalloendopeptidases
-
Calcium