title: Release of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores and entry of extracellular Ca(2+) are involved in sea squirt sperm activation.
abstract: A rise in intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) is required to activate sperm of all organisms studied. Such elevation of [Ca(2+)](i) can occur either by influx of extracellular Ca(2+) or by release of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores. We have examined these sources of Ca(2+) in sperm from the sea squirt Ascidia ceratodes using mitochondrial translocation to evaluate activation and the Ca(2+)-sensitive dye fura-2 to monitor [Ca(2+)](i) by bulk spectrofluorometry. Sperm activation artificially evoked by incubation in high-pH seawater was inhibited by reducing seawater [Ca(2+)], as well as by the presence of high [K(+)](o) or the Ca channel blockers pimozide, penfluridol, or Ni(2+), but not nifedipine or Co(2+). The accompanying rise in [Ca(2+)](i) was also blocked by pimozide or penfluridol. These results indicate that activation produced by alkaline incubation involves opening of plasmalemmal voltage-dependent Ca channels and Ca(2+) entry to initiate mitochondrial translocation. Incubation in thimerosal or thapsigargin, but not ryanodine (even if combined with caffeine pretreatment), evoked sperm activation. Activation by thimerosal was insensitive to reduced external calcium and to Ca channel blockers. Sperm [Ca(2+)](i) increased upon incubation in high-pH or thimerosal-containing seawater, but only the high-pH-dependent elevation in [Ca(2+)](i) could be inhibited by pimozide or penfluridol. Treatment with the protonophore CCCP indicated that only a small percentage of sperm could release enough Ca(2+) from mitochondria to cause activation. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) delivered by liposomes or by permeabilization increased sperm activation. Both of these effects were blocked by heparin. We conclude that high external pH induces intracellular alkalization that directly or indirectly activates plasma membrane voltage-dependent Ca channels allowing entry of external Ca(2+) and that thimerosal stimulates release of Ca(2+) from IP(3)-sensitive intracellular stores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, California 92834-6850, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lauzon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lotfizadeh
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002258:Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D014561:Urochordata / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002258:Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; D002118:Calcium