Protein Composition of the Ventral Processes on the Sperm Head of Australian Hydromyine Rodents1

Breed, W. G.; Idriss, Dina; Oko, Richard

doi:10.1095/biolreprod63.2.629

Cited by 26 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 30 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This last effect has been shown by Paranko et al (1994). On the other hand, in mature plains rat spermatozoa subacrosomal F-actin remained in the ventral processes (Breed et al, 2000).…”

Section: Actinmentioning

confidence: 57%

Perinuclear theca during spermatozoa maturation leading to fertilization

Mújica

Hernández‐González

Juárez-Mosqueda

2003

Microscopy Res & Technique

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mammalian spermatozoa acquire the capacity to fertilize the ovum and display motility during their passage through the epididymis. At the same time, they undergo changes in metabolic patterns, enzymatic activities, ability to bind to zona pellucida surface, and electrophoretic properties and, furthermore, stabilization of some sperm structures by the establishment of disulphide linkages takes place in several sperm structures. The cytoplasmic perinuclear theca (PT) is a unique extranuclear cytoskeletal element that surrounds the nucleus, which is proposed to be a structural scaffold to the sperm nucleus. The purpose of this review is to describe PT changes related to epididymal sperm maturation. We will focus mainly on the protein components of the PT of eutherian mammalian spermatozoa and on quantitative protein changes during sperm maturation. The protein constituents of the PT have not been completely defined and most of them are different from the cytoskeletal proteins of somatic cells. However, they are proteins with cytoskeletal features. The morphologic changes reported for PT and the proposed functions of PT are discussed.

show abstract

“…This last effect has been shown by Paranko et al (1994). On the other hand, in mature plains rat spermatozoa subacrosomal F-actin remained in the ventral processes (Breed et al, 2000).…”

Section: Actinmentioning

confidence: 57%

Perinuclear theca during spermatozoa maturation leading to fertilization

Mújica

Hernández‐González

Juárez-Mosqueda

2003

Microscopy Res & Technique

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…squirrel sperm) or some other bizarre feature (e.g. ventral sperm head hooks of plains rat or wood mouse (Breed et al 2000, Moore et al 2002). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytoskeleton localization in the sperm head prior to fertilization

Dvořáková¹,

Moore²,

Šebková³

et al. 2005

Reproduction

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Three major cytoskeletal proteins, actin, tubulin and spectrin, are present in the head of mammalian spermatozoa. Although cytoskeletal proteins are implicated in the regulation of capacitation and the acrosome reaction (AR), their exact role remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to compare the distribution of the sperm head cytoskeleton before and after the AR in spermatozoa representing a range of acrosome size and shape. Spermatozoa from the human and three rodents (rat, hamster and grey squirrel) were fixed before and after the AR in appropriate medium in vitro. Indirect immunofluorescent localization of cytoskeletal proteins was undertaken with antibodies recognizing actin, spectrin and a-tubulin. Preparations were counterstained with propidium iodide and examined by epifluorescent and confocal microscopy. Our results clearly demonstrated changes in localization of cytoskeleton during the AR, mainly in the apical acrosome with further changes to the equatorial segment and post-acrosomal regions. The pattern of cytoskeletal proteins in the sperm head of all the species was similar in respect to various sub-compartments. These observations indicated that the sperm head cortical cytoskeleton exhibits significant changes during the AR and, therefore, support the image of cytoskeletal proteins as highly dynamic structures participating actively in processes prior to fertilization.

show abstract

“…These histones can be considered structural proteins, yet at the same time, they could provide a rapid source of histone molecules for the early stages of male pronuclear development after fertilization (Sutovsky and Oko, unpublished data). PERF15, related to the superfamily of lipophilic transport proteins, is the major protein of the sub-acrosomal PT in falciform-shaped sperm of murids and probably plays a filler role in the greatly expanded sub-acrosomal region (Oko and Morales, 1994;Pouresmaeili et al, 1997;Breed et al, 2000). Unlike, PERF 15, SubH2Bv is present in both falciform-and spatulate-shaped sperm heads and, therefore, is likely a more fundamental component of mammalian sperm (Aul and Oko, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interactions of sperm perinuclear theca with the oocyte: Implications for oocyte activation, anti‐polyspermy defense, and assisted reproduction

Šutovský

Manandhar

et al. 2003

Microscopy Res & Technique

144

104

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Perinuclear theca (PT) is the cytoskeletal coat of mammalian sperm nucleus that is removed from the sperm head at fertilization. PT harbors the sperm borne, oocyte-activating factor (SOAF), a yet-to-be-characterized substance responsible for triggering the signaling cascade of oocyte activation, thought to be dependent on intra-oocyte calcium release. The present article reviews the current knowledge on the biogenesis and molecular composition of sperm PT. Possible functions of sperm PT during natural and assisted fertilization, and in the initiation of embryonic development are discussed. Furthermore, evidence is provided that SOAF is transferred from the sperm PT to oocyte cytoplasm through the internalization and rapid solubilization of the post-acrosomal PT. It is shown that during natural fertilization the sperm PT dissolves in the oocyte cytoplasm concomitantly with sperm nuclear decondensation and the initiation of pronuclear development. SOAF activity is preserved in the differentially extracted sperm heads only if the integrity of PT is maintained. After intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), activation occurs only in those oocytes in which the injected spermatozoon displays complete or partial dissolution of PT. In the latter case, the residual PT of the sub-acrosomal and/or post-acrosomal sperm region may persist on the apical surface of the sperm nucleus/male pronucleus and may cause a delay or arrest of zygotic development. We propose that the sperm PT harbors SOAF in the post-acrosomal sheath, as this is the first part of the sperm cytosol to enter the oocyte cytoplasm and its disassembly appears sufficient to initiate the early events of oocyte activation. Dissolution of the sub-acrosomal part of the PT, on the other hand, appears necessary to insure complete DNA decondensation in the internalized sperm nucleus and initiate DNA synthesis of both pronuclei. The release of the SOAF from the sperm head into oocyte cytoplasm at fertilization ultimately leads to the activation of oocyte mechanism including the completion of the meiotic cell cycle, pronuclear development and anti-polyspermy defense.

show abstract

Protein Composition of the Ventral Processes on the Sperm Head of Australian Hydromyine Rodents1

Cited by 26 publications

References 30 publications

Perinuclear theca during spermatozoa maturation leading to fertilization

Perinuclear theca during spermatozoa maturation leading to fertilization

Cytoskeleton localization in the sperm head prior to fertilization

Interactions of sperm perinuclear theca with the oocyte: Implications for oocyte activation, anti‐polyspermy defense, and assisted reproduction

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About