Real-time observation of acrosomal dispersal from mouse sperm using GFP as a marker protein.
We produced transgenic mouse lines that accumulate mutated green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in sperm acrosome, a membrane limited organelle overlying the nucleus. The sperm showed normal fertilizing ability and the integrity of their acrosome was easily examined in a non-invasive manner by tracing the GFP in individual 'live' sperm with fluorescent microscopy. The time required for the dispersal of acrosomal contents was demonstrated to be approximately 3 s after the onset of acrosome reaction.
Nakanishi
T
T
Genome Information Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Ikawa
M
M
Yamada
S
S
Parvinen
M
M
Baba
T
T
Nishimune
Y
Y
Okabe
M
M
D000177:Acrosome / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D005089:Exocytosis; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins