title: Molecular physiology and pathology of Ca2+-conducting channels in the plasma membrane of mammalian sperm.
abstract: Current evidence indicates that mechanisms controlling the intracellular Ca2+ concentration play pivotal roles in determining sperm fertilizing ability. Multiple Ca2+-permeable channels have been identified and characterized in the plasma membrane and in the acrosome membrane of mammalian sperm. This review summarizes the recent findings and assesses the evidence suggesting that these channels play roles in controlling a host of sperm functions ranging from motility to the acrosome reaction, and describes recent advances in the identification of the underlying gene defects of inherited sperm Ca2+ channelopathies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico. rfelix@fisio.cinvestav.mx
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Felix
mesh_terms: D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D023421:Models, Animal; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002118:Calcium