Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA.
Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2021 Dec 1;314:113924. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113924. Epub 2021 Oct 2.
Changes in expression or activation of various metalloproteases including matrix metalloproteases (Mmp), a disintegrin and metalloprotease (Adam) and a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motif (Adamts), and their endogenous inhibitors (tissue inhibitors of metalloproteases, Timp), have been shown to be critical for ovulation in various species from studies in past decades. Some of these metalloproteases such as Adamts1, Adamts9, Mmp2, and Mmp9 have also been shown to be regulated by luteinizing hormone (LH) and/or progestin, which are essential triggers for ovulation in all vertebrate species. Most of these metalloproteases also express broadly in various tissues and cells including germ cells and somatic gonad cells. Thus, metalloproteases likely play roles in gonad formation processes comprising primordial germ cell (PGC) migration, development of germ and somatic cells, and sex determination. However, our knowledge on the functions and mechanisms of metalloproteases in these processes in vertebrates is still lacking. This review will summarize our current knowledge on the metalloproteases in ovulation and gonad formation with emphasis on PGC migration and germ cell development.
在过去几十年的研究中，已经表明各种金属蛋白酶（包括基质金属蛋白酶（Mmp）、去整合素和金属蛋白酶（Adam）以及富含血小板反应蛋白的去整合素和金属蛋白酶（Adamts））及其内源性抑制剂（金属蛋白酶抑制剂，Timp）的表达或激活的变化对于各种物种的排卵至关重要。其中一些金属蛋白酶，如 Adamts1、Adamts9、Mmp2 和 Mmp9，也已被证明受到黄体生成素（LH）和/或孕激素的调节，这是所有脊椎动物排卵的必要触发因素。这些金属蛋白酶中的大多数也广泛表达于各种组织和细胞中，包括生殖细胞和体性腺细胞。因此，金属蛋白酶可能在包括原始生殖细胞（PGC）迁移、生殖细胞和体细胞发育以及性别决定在内的性腺形成过程中发挥作用。然而，我们对这些过程中金属蛋白酶在脊椎动物中的功能和机制的了解仍然有限。本综述将重点介绍 PGC 迁移和生殖细胞发育，总结我们目前对排卵和性腺形成中金属蛋白酶的认识。
