title: GLUTs and mammalian sperm metabolism.
abstract: Mammalian cells use glucides as a substrate that can be catabolized through glycolitic pathways or oxidative phosphorylation, used as a source of reducing potential, or used for anabolic aims. An important role in supplying cells with energy is played by different membrane proteins that can actively (sodium-dependent glucose transporters) or passively (glucose transporters; GLUT) transport hexoses through the lipidic bilayer. In particular, GLUTs are a family of 13 proteins that facilitate the transport of sugars and have a peculiar distribution in different tissues as well as a particular affinity for substrates. These proteins are also present in mature sperm cells, which, in fact, need carriers for uptake energetic sources that are important for maintaining cell basic activity as well as specific functions, such as motility and fertilization ability. Likewise, several GLUTs have been studied in various mammalian species (man, bull, rat, mouse, boar, dog, stallion, and donkey) to point out both their actual presence or absence and their localization on plasma membrane. The aim of this work is to give an overall picture of the studies available on GLUTs in mammalian spermatozoa at this moment, pointing out the species peculiarity, the possible role of these proteins, and the potential future research on this item.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Morfofisiologia veterinaria e Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Bologna, Italy. diego.bucci3@unibo.it
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bucci
authors.forename: Juan Enrique
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Gil
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vallorani
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spinaci
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galeati
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tamanini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / Q000378:metabolism*; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051274:Glucose Transporter Type 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D051296:Glucose Transporter Type 5 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods; D013075:Sperm Capacitation; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2; D051274:Glucose Transporter Type 3; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D051296:Glucose Transporter Type 5; C430746:SLC2A10 protein, human; C439386:SLC2A11 protein, human; C437315:SLC2A13 protein, human; C487892:SLC2A7 protein, human; C405325:SLC2A8 protein, human; C411811:SLC2A9 protein, human