Sperm-induced Ca2+ release during egg activation in mammals.
This review discusses the role that the sperm-specific phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ) is proposed to play during the fertilization of mammalian eggs. At fertilization, the sperm initiates development by causing a series of oscillations in cytosolic concentrations of calcium [Ca(2)] within the egg. PLCζ mimics the sperm at fertilization, causing the same pattern of Ca(2+) release as seen at fertilization. Introducing PLCζ into mouse eggs also mimics a number of other features of the way in which the fertilizing sperm triggers Ca(2+) oscillations. We discuss the localization of PLCζ within the egg and present a hypothesis about the localization of PLCζ within the sperm before the initiation of fertilization.
Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
Junaid
J
Kashir
Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
Michail
M
Nomikos
Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
F Anthony
FA
Lai
Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK. Electronic address: SwannK1@cardiff.ac.uk.
Karl
K
Swann
D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology; D019269:Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D054801:Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C / Q000378:metabolism; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology
D019269:Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate; D054801:Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C; C499234:Plcz1 protein, mouse
Calcium oscillations; Egg activation; Fertilization; PLCzeta; Phospholipase C (PLC); Sperm