Fertilization: a sperm's journey to and interaction with the oocyte.
Mammalian fertilization comprises sperm migration through the female reproductive tract, biochemical and morphological changes to sperm, and sperm-egg interaction in the oviduct. Recent gene knockout approaches in mice have revealed that many factors previously considered important for fertilization are largely dispensable, or if they are essential, they have an unexpected function. These results indicate that what has been observed in in vitro fertilization (IVF) differs significantly from what occurs during "physiological" fertilization. This Review focuses on the advantages of studying fertilization using gene-manipulated animals and highlights an emerging molecular mechanism of mammalian fertilization.
Ikawa
Masahito
M
Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-1, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
Inoue
Naokazu
N
Benham
Adam M
AM
Okabe
Masaru
M
D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D020101:Acrosome Reaction; D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000502:physiology; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology
D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; C087341:calmegin; D051722:ADAM Proteins; C499566:ADAM3A protein, human