REVIEW PAPER
Recent studies on molecular mechanisms involved
in mammalian sperm capacitation: A review
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Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Biotechnology, Rzeszów University,
36-100 Kolbuszowa, Poland
Publication date: 2007-09-06
Corresponding author
L. Kątska-Książkiewicz
Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Biotechnology, Rzeszów University,
36-100 Kolbuszowa, Poland
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2007;16(3):311-328
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ABSTRACT
Sperm capacitation is a physiological event that allows sperm to bind and fuse with the oocyte. Changes
associated with this process include removal of cholesterol from the plasma membrane, increases in pH
and Ca+2, activation of first and second messenger cascades, an increase in respiration and subsequent
changes in the sperm motility pattern. The most significant change in sperm after capacitation is its ability
to undergo the acrosome reaction. The purpose of this review is to present some recent achievements
towards understanding the molecular mechanisms of mammalian sperm capacitation. The review
focuses on regulation of sperm function by seminal plasma derived first messengers, i.e. fertilizationpromoting peptide (FPP), adenosine, calcitonin and angiotensin II, acting to affect production of a second
messenger, cAMP. It also discusses the roles in sperm capacitation of speradhesins, platelet-activating
factor (PAF) and PAF-acetylhydrolase, roles of Ca+2 ions, bicarbonate ions, and intracellular pH, roles
of calmodulin and 1, 4, 5-triphosphate (IP3), protein tyrosine phosphorylation and actin polymerization,
protein translation as well as hyperactivation and acrosome reaction as a final step of capacitation.
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