Epithelial Cell Biology Research Center, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
Cell Calcium. 2013 Jan;53(1):68-75. doi: 10.1016/j.ceca.2012.11.007. Epub 2012 Dec 4.
The cumulus mass is a group of cells surrounding the oocyte. Cumulus cells are known to play a role in a number of reproductive events including oocyte maturation and acrosome reaction. Calcium mobilization in cumulus cells has been implicated in the process of oocyte maturation and acrosome reaction; however, its exact role remains elusive. In this review, we summarize the findings on Ca(2+) mobilization in cumulus cells, with particular focus on (1) the gonadotropin/paracrine factors-induced cumulus Ca(2+) mobilization and its downstream signaling pathways in oocyte maturation and (2) the sperm-derived factors-induced cumulus Ca(2+) mobilization in the cross-talk between cumulus and sperm and thus acrosome reaction. The evidence suggests that as an important signaling event, Ca(2+) mobilization in cumulus cells is important to germ cell development and function, and thus essential to fertilization and reproduction.
卵丘细胞团是围绕卵母细胞的一组细胞。已知卵丘细胞在许多生殖事件中发挥作用，包括卵母细胞成熟和顶体反应。钙动员在卵丘细胞中已被牵连在卵母细胞成熟和顶体反应的过程中;然而，其确切的作用仍然难以捉摸。在这篇综述中，我们总结了关于卵丘细胞内 Ca(2+)动员的发现，特别关注 (1) 促性腺激素/旁分泌因子诱导的卵丘 Ca(2+)动员及其在卵母细胞成熟中的下游信号通路，以及 (2) 精子衍生因子诱导的卵丘 Ca(2+)动员在卵丘和精子之间的串扰中，从而发生顶体反应。有证据表明，作为一个重要的信号事件，卵丘细胞内的 Ca(2+)动员对生殖细胞的发育和功能很重要，因此对受精和生殖至关重要。
