Deneke Victoria E, Pauli Andrea
Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria; email:
Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Oct 6;37:391-414. doi: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-120219-021751. Epub 2021 Jul 21.
Fertilization is a multistep process that culminates in the fusion of sperm and egg, thus marking the beginning of a new organism in sexually reproducing species. Despite its importance for reproduction, the molecular mechanisms that regulate this singular event, particularly sperm-egg fusion, have remained mysterious for many decades. Here, we summarize our current molecular understanding of sperm-egg interaction, focusing mainly on mammalian fertilization. Given the fundamental importance of sperm-egg fusion yet the lack of knowledge of this process in vertebrates, we discuss hallmarks and emerging themes of cell fusion by drawing from well-studied examples such as viral entry, placenta formation, and muscle development. We conclude by identifying open questions and exciting avenues for future studies in gamete fusion.
受精是一个多步骤的过程，最终导致精子与卵子融合，从而标志着有性生殖物种新生物体的开始。尽管受精对于繁殖至关重要，但数十年来，调控这一独特事件，尤其是精子与卵子融合的分子机制一直成谜。在此，我们总结了目前对精子与卵子相互作用的分子理解，主要聚焦于哺乳动物的受精过程。鉴于精子与卵子融合至关重要，但脊椎动物对此过程的了解却很匮乏，我们通过借鉴病毒入侵、胎盘形成和肌肉发育等研究充分的例子，来探讨细胞融合的特征和新出现的主题。我们通过确定配子融合未来研究的开放性问题和令人兴奋的研究方向来结束本文。
