Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Physiol Rev. 2011 Oct;91(4):1305-55. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00028.2010.
A proper dialogue between spermatozoa and the egg is essential for conception of a new individual in sexually reproducing animals. Ca(2+) is crucial in orchestrating this unique event leading to a new life. No wonder that nature has devised different Ca(2+)-permeable channels and located them at distinct sites in spermatozoa so that they can help fertilize the egg. New tools to study sperm ionic currents, and image intracellular Ca(2+) with better spatial and temporal resolution even in swimming spermatozoa, are revealing how sperm ion channels participate in fertilization. This review critically examines the involvement of Ca(2+) channels in multiple signaling processes needed for spermatozoa to mature, travel towards the egg, and fertilize it. Remarkably, these tiny specialized cells can express exclusive channels like CatSper for Ca(2+) and SLO3 for K(+), which are attractive targets for contraception and for the discovery of novel signaling complexes. Learning more about fertilization is a matter of capital importance; societies face growing pressure to counteract rising male infertility rates, provide safe male gamete-based contraceptives, and preserve biodiversity through improved captive breeding and assisted conception initiatives.
在有性生殖的动物中，精子与卵子之间的适当对话对于新个体的受孕至关重要。钙离子在协调这一独特事件，从而导致新生命的过程中至关重要。难怪大自然设计了不同的钙离子渗透性通道，并将它们定位在精子的不同部位，以便帮助卵子受精。新的工具可用于研究精子离子电流，并以更好的时空分辨率对游动的精子内的钙离子进行成像，这揭示了精子离子通道如何参与受精。本综述批判性地研究了钙离子通道在多种信号过程中的作用，这些信号过程对于精子成熟、向卵子移动和受精是必需的。值得注意的是，这些微小的特化细胞可以表达独特的通道，如 CatSper 用于钙离子，SLO3 用于钾离子，这些通道是避孕和发现新型信号复合物的有吸引力的靶标。更多地了解受精是至关重要的问题；社会面临着越来越大的压力，需要对抗不断上升的男性不育率，提供安全的基于精子的避孕方法，并通过改进圈养繁殖和辅助受孕计划来保护生物多样性。
