title: Regulation and roles of Ca2+ stores in human sperm.
abstract: [Ca(2)(+)]i signalling is a key regulatory mechanism in sperm function. In mammalian sperm the Ca(2)(+)-permeable plasma membrane ion channel CatSper is central to [Ca(2)(+)]i signalling, but there is good evidence that Ca(2)(+) stored in intracellular organelles is also functionally important. Here we briefly review the current understanding of the diversity of Ca(2)(+) stores and the mechanisms for the regulation of their activity. We then consider the evidence for the involvement of these stores in [Ca(2)(+)]i signalling in mammalian (primarily human) sperm, the agonists that may activate these stores and their role in control of sperm function. Finally we consider the evidence that membrane Ca(2)(+) channels and stored Ca(2)(+) may play discrete roles in the regulation of sperm activities and propose a mechanism by which these different components of the sperm Ca(2)(+)-signalling apparatus may interact to generate complex and spatially diverse [Ca(2)(+)]i signals.
authors.affiliation: School of BiosciencesUniversity of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
authors.forename: Joao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.affiliation: School of BiosciencesUniversity of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Michelangeli
authors.affiliation: School of BiosciencesUniversity of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK s.j.publicover@bham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Publicover
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002118:Calcium