The molecular players of sperm–egg fusion in mammals

Fertilization includes a series of cellular interactions culminating with the fusion of gamete membranes, creating a zygote. Two ADAM proteins present on sperm, fertilin β and cyritestin, drew much attention. However, gene deletion in mice showed that fusion can happen in their absence. The presence...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Seminars in cell & developmental biology 2006-04, Vol.17 (2), p.254-263
Main Authors: Rubinstein, Eric, Ziyyat, Ahmed, Wolf, Jean-Philippe, Le Naour, François, Boucheix, Claude
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ADAM Proteins - metabolism
Animals
Antigens, CD - metabolism
CD9
Female
Fusion
Integrin alpha6beta1 - metabolism
Izumo
Male
Membrane Fusion
Membrane Glycoproteins - metabolism
Membrane Proteins - metabolism
Mice
Models, Biological
Oocyte
Sperm
Sperm-Ovum Interactions
Tetraspanin-29
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Summary:Fertilization includes a series of cellular interactions culminating with the fusion of gamete membranes, creating a zygote. Two ADAM proteins present on sperm, fertilin β and cyritestin, drew much attention. However, gene deletion in mice showed that fusion can happen in their absence. The presence of the integrin α6β1 on egg, a putative fertilin β receptor, is also dispensable. In contrast, sperm lacking Izumo, a molecule with a single Ig domain, are unable to fuse. On the egg side, a role for GPI-anchored molecules has been shown, and in mice lacking both tetraspanins CD9 and CD81 fertilization is completely blocked.
ISSN:1084-9521
1096-3634
DOI:10.1016/j.semcdb.2006.02.012