Shedding light on sperm pHertility.
The acquisition of fertilization capacity by sperm is regulated by intracellular pH (pH(i)), but the transport pathways that regulate pH(i) are not well understood. Lishko et al. (2010) now report that Hv1, the voltage-sensitive proton channel, is present in human sperm and is an important regulator of the functional maturation of sperm.
Florman
Harvey M
HM
Department of Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. harvey.florman@umassmed.edu
Jungnickel
Melissa K
MK
Sutton
Keith A
KA
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D051379:Mice; D013075:Sperm Capacitation; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism