Structure and function of the mammalian egg zona pellucida.
The zona pellucida is a thick extracellular coat that surrounds all mammalian eggs and preimplantation embryos. The zona pellucida supports communication between oocytes and follicle cells during oogenesis; protects oocytes, eggs, and embryos during development, and regulates interactions between ovulated eggs and free-swimming sperm during and following fertilization. Mutant females that produce eggs that lack a zona pellucida are infertile. The functions of the zona pellucida during fertilization now can be ascribed to certain of its glycoproteins. Here we describe some aspects of zona pellucida structure and function as they relate to mammalian fertilization. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 285:251-258, 1999.
Wassarman
P
P
Department of Cell Biology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029-6574, USA. p_wassarman@smtplink.mssm.edu
Chen
J
J
Cohen
N
N
Litscher
E
E
Liu
C
C
Qi
H
H
Williams
Z
Z
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins
D004527:Egg Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins