title: The Molecules of Sperm Exocytosis.
abstract: Exocytosis is a fundamental process used by eukaryotic cells to release biological compounds and to insert lipids and proteins in the plasma membrane. Specialized secretory cells undergo regulated exocytosis in response to physiological signals. Sperm exocytosis or acrosome reaction (AR) is essentially a regulated secretion with special characteristics. We will focus here on some of these unique features, covering the topology, kinetics, and molecular mechanisms that prepare, drive, and regulate membrane fusion during the AR. Last, we will compare acrosomal release with exocytosis in other model systems.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Histología y Embriología, IHEM-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, 5500, Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Belmonte
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Histología y Embriología, IHEM-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, 5500, Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: Luis S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Mayorga
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Histología y Embriología, IHEM-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, 5500, Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina. ctomes@fcm.uncu.edu.ar.
authors.forename: Claudia N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Tomes
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018129:Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D050600:SNARE Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D050857:Synaptotagmins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000075745:rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins; D020692:rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018129:Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates; D050600:SNARE Proteins; D000075745:rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins; D050857:Synaptotagmins; C512962:Rab27a protein, mouse; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins; D020692:rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins; D002118:Calcium