title: The role of extracellular ATP in the male reproductive tract.
abstract: In addition to its well established role as a neurotransmitter, extracellular ATP has been considered as a paracrine/autocrine factor, either released from sperm or epithelial cells, in the male reproductive tract and shown to play a versatile role in modulating various reproductive functions. This review summarizes the signal pathways through which ATP induces anion secretion by the epithelia of the epididymis, as well as its epithelium-dependent modulation of smooth muscle contraction of the vas deferens. Finally, the overall role of ATP in coordinating various reproductive events in the male genital tract is discussed.
authors: Department of Physiology, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China. billzhou200588@yahoo.com.cn
authors: Wen-Liang
authors: WL
authors: Zhou
authors: Wu-Lin
authors: WL
authors: Zuo
authors: Ye-Chun
authors: YC
authors: Ruan
authors: Zhe
authors: Z
authors: Wang
authors: Jian-Yang
authors: JY
authors: DU
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Xiong
authors: Hsiao-Chang
authors: HC
authors: Chan
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004822:Epididymis / Q000502:physiology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014566:Urogenital System / Q000502:physiology*; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate