Fertilization defects in sperm from mice lacking fertilin beta.

Abstract

Fertilin, a member of the ADAM family, is found on the plasma membrane of mammalian sperm. Sperm from mice lacking fertilin beta were shown to be deficient in sperm-egg membrane adhesion, sperm-egg fusion, migration from the uterus into the oviduct, and binding to the egg zona pellucida. Egg activation was unaffected. The results are consistent with a direct role of fertilin in sperm-egg plasma membrane interaction. Fertilin could also have a direct role in sperm-zona binding or oviduct migration; alternatively, the effects on these functions could result from the absence of fertilin activity during spermatogenesis.

• Authors: C Cho, D O Bunch, J E Faure, E H Goulding, E M Eddy, P Primakoff, D G Myles
• Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.) (Science) Vol. 281 Issue 5384 Pg. 1857-9 (Sep 18 1998) ISSN: 0036-8075 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9743500 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Membrane Glycoproteins
• ADAM Proteins
• Adam2 protein, mouse
• Fertilins
• Metalloendopeptidases
• Calcium

Topics

• ADAM Proteins
• Animals
• Calcium (metabolism)
• Cell Adhesion
• Cell Membrane (physiology)
• Fallopian Tubes
• Female
• Fertilins
• Male
• Membrane Fusion
• Membrane Glycoproteins (genetics, metabolism, physiology)
• Metalloendopeptidases (genetics, metabolism, physiology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Mice, Knockout
• Ovum (physiology)
• Sperm Capacitation
• Sperm-Ovum Interactions
• Spermatogenesis
• Spermatozoa (chemistry, physiology)
• Zona Pellucida (physiology)