Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Sci. Signal., 17 May 2011
Vol. 4, Issue 173, p. ra31
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2001595]

RESEARCH ARTICLES

Editor's Summary

Delivering Sperm a Toolkit
Progesterone stimulates complex calcium signals in human sperm that have been implicated in enhancing their motility. Noting that sperm are structurally simple cells with a minimal complement of organelles, Park et al. explored the possibility that prostasomes (small vesicles secreted by the prostate) might deliver a "calcium toolkit" to sperm to enable these complex calcium responses. Analyses of sperm isolated before prostasome exposure revealed that, indeed, fusion with prostasomes led to the acquisition in sperm of various proteins implicated in calcium signaling and enabled the progesterone-dependent mobilization of calcium from internal stores. Moreover, prostasomal proteins promoted progesterone-dependent sperm motility and enhanced the ability of mouse sperm to fertilize ova.

Citation: K.-H. Park, B.-J. Kim, J. Kang, T.-S. Nam, J. M. Lim, H. T. Kim, J. K. Park, Y. G. Kim, S.-W. Chae, U.-H. Kim, Ca2+ Signaling Tools Acquired from Prostasomes Are Required for Progesterone-Induced Sperm Motility. Sci. Signal. 4, ra31 (2011).

Read the Full Text

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Disruption of the principal, progesterone-activated sperm Ca2+ channel in a CatSper2-deficient infertile patient.
J. F. Smith, O. Syritsyna, M. Fellous, C. Serres, N. Mannowetz, Y. Kirichok, and P. V. Lishko (2013)
PNAS 110, 6823-6828
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Human prostasomes express glycolytic enzymes with capacity for ATP production.
K. G. Ronquist, B. Ek, A. Stavreus-Evers, A. Larsson, and G. Ronquist (2013)
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 304, E576-E582
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Ca2+ Signals Generated by CatSper and Ca2+ Stores Regulate Different Behaviors in Human Sperm.
W. Alasmari, S. Costello, J. Correia, S. K. Oxenham, J. Morris, L. Fernandes, J. Ramalho-Santos, J. Kirkman-Brown, F. Michelangeli, S. Publicover, et al. (2013)
J. Biol. Chem. 288, 6248-6258
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Extracellular vesicles: Exosomes, microvesicles, and friends.
G. Raposo and W. Stoorvogel (2013)
J. Cell Biol. 200, 373-383
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Functional characterization of bitter-taste receptors expressed in mammalian testis.
J. Xu, J. Cao, N. Iguchi, D. Riethmacher, and L. Huang (2013)
Mol. Hum. Reprod. 19, 17-28
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Cyclic ADP-ribose and Nicotinic Acid Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (NAADP) as Messengers for Calcium Mobilization.
H. C. Lee (2012)
J. Biol. Chem. 287, 31633-31640
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A caged progesterone analog alters intracellular Ca2+ and flagellar bending in human sperm.
M. R. Servin-Vences, Y. Tatsu, H. Ando, A. Guerrero, N. Yumoto, A. Darszon, and T. Nishigaki (2012)
Reproduction 144, 101-109
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Classification, Functions, and Clinical Relevance of Extracellular Vesicles.
E. van der Pol, A. N. Boing, P. Harrison, A. Sturk, and R. Nieuwland (2012)
Pharmacol. Rev. 64, 676-705
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Role of CD38 in Fc{gamma} Receptor (Fc{gamma}R)-mediated Phagocytosis in Murine Macrophages.
J. Kang, K.-H. Park, J.-J. Kim, E.-K. Jo, M.-K. Han, and U.-H. Kim (2012)
J. Biol. Chem. 287, 14502-14514
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Sperm motility: things are moving in the lab!.
S. J. Publicover and C. L. R. Barratt (2011)
Mol. Hum. Reprod. 17, 453-456
   Full Text »    PDF »
Calcium Signaling in Sperm: Help from Prostasomes.
D. Ren (2011)
Science Signaling 4, pe27
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »

To Advertise     Find Products

Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882