title: Mouse sperm patch-clamp recordings reveal single Cl- channels sensitive to niflumic acid, a blocker of the sperm acrosome reaction.
abstract: Ion channels lie at the heart of gamete signaling. Understanding their regulation will improve our knowledge of sperm physiology, and may lead to novel contraceptive strategies. Sperm are tiny (approximately 3 microm diameter) and, until now, direct evidence of ion channel activity in these cells was lacking. Using patch-clamp recording we document here, for the first time, the presence of cationic and anionic channels in mouse sperm. Anion selective channels were blocked by niflumic acid (NA) (IC50 = 11 microM). The blocker was effective also in inhibiting the acrosome reaction induced by the zona pellucida, GABA or progesterone. These observations suggest that Cl- channels participate in the sperm acrosome reaction in mammals.
authors.affiliation: Depto. Genética y Fisiologia Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca Morelos.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: de la Vega-Beltrán
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: López-González
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Labarca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darszon
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D051379:Mice; D009544:Niflumic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018118:Chloride Channels; D004527:Egg Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins; D011374:Progesterone; D009544:Niflumic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid