The spark of life.
The sperm activates the egg to begin developing into an embryo by triggering a wave of intracellular calcium release, which sweeps across the egg like a forest fire. The identity of the signaling molecules that mediate this fundamental event has remained a mystery until recently. Now, new information emerging from the genome projects has made it possible to isolate and characterize the proteins responsible.
Parrington
John
J
University of Oxford, UK. john.parrington@pharm.ox.ac.uk
Coward
Kevin
K
D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010312:Parthenogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*