TY - JOUR
T1 - Calcium signalling in human spermatozoa: A specialized 'tookit' of channels, transporters and stores
AU - Jiminez-Gonzalez, C
AU - Michelangeli, Francesco
AU - Harper, CV
AU - Barratt, Christopher
AU - Publicover, Stephen
PY - 2006/5/1
Y1 - 2006/5/1
N2 - Ca2+ is a ubiquitous intracellular messenger which encodes information by temporal and spatial patterns of concentration. In spermatozoa, several key functions, including acrosome reaction and motility, are regulated by cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration. Despite the very small size and apparent structural simplicity of spermatozoa, evidence is accumulating that they possess sophisticated mechanisms for regulation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration and generation of complex Ca2+ signals. In this review, we consider the various components of the Ca2+-signalling 'toolkit' that have been characterized in somatic cells and summarize the evidence for their presence and activity in spermatozoa. In particular, data accumulated over the last few years show that spermatozoa possess one (and probably two) Ca2+ stores as well as a range of plasma membrane pumps and channels. Selective regulation of the various components of the 'toolkit' by agonists probably allows spermatozoa to generate localized Ca2+ signals despite their very small cytoplasmic volume, permitting the discrete and selective activation of cell functions.
AB - Ca2+ is a ubiquitous intracellular messenger which encodes information by temporal and spatial patterns of concentration. In spermatozoa, several key functions, including acrosome reaction and motility, are regulated by cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration. Despite the very small size and apparent structural simplicity of spermatozoa, evidence is accumulating that they possess sophisticated mechanisms for regulation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration and generation of complex Ca2+ signals. In this review, we consider the various components of the Ca2+-signalling 'toolkit' that have been characterized in somatic cells and summarize the evidence for their presence and activity in spermatozoa. In particular, data accumulated over the last few years show that spermatozoa possess one (and probably two) Ca2+ stores as well as a range of plasma membrane pumps and channels. Selective regulation of the various components of the 'toolkit' by agonists probably allows spermatozoa to generate localized Ca2+ signals despite their very small cytoplasmic volume, permitting the discrete and selective activation of cell functions.
KW - calcium
KW - sperm
KW - calcium stores
KW - calcium channels
KW - calcium pumps
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33645837651&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/humupd/dmi050
DO - 10.1093/humupd/dmi050
M3 - Review article
SN - 1460-2369
SN - 1460-2369
SN - 1460-2369
VL - 12
SP - 253
EP - 267
JO - Human Reproduction Update
JF - Human Reproduction Update
ER -