title: The endocannabinoid system in vertebrate male reproduction: a comparative overview.
abstract: Prevailing studies emphasize on endocannabinoid activity in brain. However, sporadic evidences hint that endocannabinoid system controls male reproduction ranging from invertebrates to vertebrates. Although N-arachidonoylethanolamine is described in rat testis, its activity is still poorly known. Type-1 cannabinoid receptor and fatty acid amide hydrolase are particularly expressed in elongating spermatids and spermatozoa suggesting that endocannabinoids affect spermiogenesis and sperm physiology. Aim of this paper is to provide an analysis of the information available in vertebrates on male germ cell progression and sperm maturation mediated by the endocannabinoid system.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Sez. "F. Bottazzi", II Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cacciola
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chioccarelli
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meccariello
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fasano
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pierantoni
authors.forename: Gilda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cobellis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids