Journal
MOLECULAR HUMAN REPRODUCTION
Volume 17, Issue 8, Pages 524-538Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gar034
Keywords
sperm flagella; axoneme; dynein; sperm-associated antigen; human ciliopathy
Funding
- Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- Japan Science and Technology Agency Institute of Bioinformatics Research and Development [22370023, 22112004]
- Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [21112004, 22370023, 22112004] Funding Source: KAKEN
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Sperm motility is necessary for the transport of male DNA to eggs in species with both external and internal fertilization. Flagella comprise several proteins for generating and regulating motility. Central cytoskeletal structures called axonemes have been well conserved through evolution. In mammalian sperm flagella, two accessory structures (outer dense fiber and the fibrous sheath) surround the axoneme. The axonemal bend movement is based on the active sliding of axonemal doublet microtubules by the molecular motor dynein, which is divided into outer and inner arm dyneins according to positioning on the doublet microtubule. Outer and inner arm dyneins play different roles in the production and regulation of flagellar motility. Several regulatory mechanisms are known for both dyneins, which are important in motility activation and chemotaxis at fertilization. Although dynein itself has certain properties that contribute to the formation and propagation of flagellar bending, other axonemal structures-specifically, the radial spoke/central pair apparatus-have essential roles in the regulation of flagellar bending. Recent genetic and proteomic studies have explored several new components of axonemes and shed light on the generation and regulation of sperm motility during fertilization.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available