The molecular basis of sea urchin gamete interactions at the egg plasma membrane.
Fertilization is the result of a series of well-choreographed interactions between molecules located on the surfaces of the egg and the sperm. The recent molecular characterizations of several of these surface molecules has led to a greater understanding of their roles in gamete recognition and binding. We present a review of these recent advances with emphasis on the sea urchin, a classic system for the study of fertilization. In particular, the structure and function of the sea urchin egg plasma membrane receptor for sperm, a novel cell recognition molecule, is discussed.
Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara 93106-9610.
K R
KR
Foltz
W J
WJ
Lennarz
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D012617:Sea Urchins; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure
D006023:Glycoproteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C035027:egg surface sperm receptor