title: Sperm protein 17 is expressed in human somatic ciliated epithelia.
abstract: It was once believed that sperm protein 17 (Sp17) was expressed exclusively in the testis and that its sole function was to bind to the oocyte during fertilization. However, immunohistochemistry of the human respiratory airways and reproductive systems show that it is abundant in ciliated cells but not in human cells with stereocilia and microvilli. The high degree of sequence conservation throughout its N-terminal half, and the presence of an A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP)-binding motif within this region, suggest that Sp17 plays a regulatory role in a PKA-independent AKAP complex in both male germinal and ciliated somatic cells.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grizzi
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiriva-Internati
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bumm
authors.forename: Piergiuseppe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciccarelli
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Donetti
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gagliano
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hermonat
authors.forename: Robert K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Bright
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gioia
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dioguardi
authors.forename: W Martin
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Kast
mesh_terms: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002923:Cilia / Q000378:metabolism*; D004386:Duodenum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007830:Larynx / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008871:Microvilli / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014132:Trachea / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C090172:SPA17 protein, human