title: Involvement of plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 in spermatogenesis, sperm capacitation, and fertilization.
abstract: Increasing evidence suggests that local fibrinolysis generated by plasminogen activator (PA) and modulated by plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) is essential for mammalian spermatogenesis, sperm capacitation, and fertilization. Tissue-type PA (t-PA), urokinase-type PA (u-PA), and PAI-1 have been reported in the testes of various animals. Sertoli cells within the seminiferous epithelium are believed to play a central role in the control and maintenance of spermatogenesis by producing regulatory factors, including PA/PAI-1. Fertilization is a unique and exquisitely choreographed cellular interaction between male and female gametes, in which some basic biochemical mechanisms remain unresolved. A key issue is the molecular basis of sperm-egg recognition, binding, and penetration. Sperm capacitation and the acrosomal reaction appear to rely on local fibrinolysis generated by the PA/PAI-1 system. Ejaculated spermatozoa from various species carry u-PA activity. The u-PA receptor (uPAR) and the inhibitor PAI-1 have also been reported to bind on the sperm membrane surface. Thus, it is possible that uPAR and PAI-1 function in a counterbalanced and coordinated way on the surface of spermatozoa to regulate the u-PA binding capacity. This review summarizes evidence for the involvement of PA/PAI-1 system in spermatogenesis, sperm capacitation, and fertilization.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. liuyx@ioz.ac.cn
authors.forename: Yi-Xun
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D010960:Plasminogen Activators