title: Intracellular pH in sperm physiology.
abstract: Intracellular pH (pHi) regulation is essential for cell function. Notably, several unique sperm ion transporters and enzymes whose elimination causes infertility are either pHi dependent or somehow related to pHi regulation. Amongst them are: CatSper, a Ca(2+) channel; Slo3, a K(+) channel; the sperm-specific Na(+)/H(+) exchanger and the soluble adenylyl cyclase. It is thus clear that pHi regulation is of the utmost importance for sperm physiology. This review briefly summarizes the key components involved in pHi regulation, their characteristics and participation in fundamental sperm functions such as motility, maturation and the acrosome reaction.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishigaki
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: José
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ana Laura
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: González-Cota
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico.
authors.forename: Claudia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Treviño
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico. Electronic address: darszon@ibt.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darszon
mesh_terms: D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000502:physiology; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases / Q000378:metabolism; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D016623:Ion Pumps / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D016623:Ion Pumps; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases
keywords: Intracellular pH; Sperm; Sperm chemotaxis; Sperm motility