Role of Cholesterol in Sperm Capacitation1

Cross, Nicholas L.

doi:10.1095/biolreprod59.1.7

Cited by 345 publications

(247 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Indeed, stallion spermatozoa may be highly sensitive to the mechanical insults of handling and storage (Leahy & Gadella 2011). Additionally, the cholesterol concentration of the stallion sperm plasma membrane is already quite low in comparison with that present in sperm of other species (Parks & Lynch 1992, Cross 1998. As it is unlikely that NC BWW medium is able to provide the components necessary to sustain sperm motility and viability during long-term storage, investigations into novel semen extenders for the transport and storage of semen are thus required to circumvent the potential issues associated with the use of milk-based extenders in equids.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Capacitation in the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrin results in enhanced zona pellucida-binding ability of stallion spermatozoa

et al. 2014

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While IVF has been widely successful in many domesticated species, the development of a robust IVF system for the horse remains an elusive and highly valued goal. A major impediment to the development of equine IVF is the fact that optimised conditions for the capacitation of equine spermatozoa are yet to be developed. Conversely, it is known that stallion spermatozoa are particularly susceptible to damage arising as a consequence of capacitation-like changes induced prematurely in response to semen handling and transport conditions. To address these limitations, this study sought to develop an effective system to both suppress and promote the in vitro capacitation of stallion spermatozoa. Our data indicated that the latter could be achieved in a bicarbonate-rich medium supplemented with a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, a cyclic AMP analogue, and methyl-b-cyclodextrin, an efficient cholesterolwithdrawing agent. The populations of spermatozoa generated under these conditions displayed a number of hallmarks of capacitation, including elevated levels of tyrosine phosphorylation, a reorganisation of the plasma membrane leading to lipid raft coalescence in the peri-acrosomal region of the sperm head, and a dramatic increase in their ability to interact with heterologous bovine zona pellucida (ZP) and undergo agonist-induced acrosomal exocytosis. Furthermore, this functional transformation was effectively suppressed in media devoid of bicarbonate. Collectively, these results highlight the importance of efficient cholesterol removal in priming stallion spermatozoa for ZP binding in vitro.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Capacitation in the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrin results in enhanced zona pellucida-binding ability of stallion spermatozoa

et al. 2014

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“…Moore (1981)). While sperm surface changes during epididymal passage in therian mammals were first considered only in terms of glycoproteins that probably bear on sperm/zona binding, it is clear that they also involve changes in the plasmalemma's sterol content that can vary according to species (Cross 1998). However, epididymal modifications of the sperm plasmalemma impinge on more than the acquisition of motility and sperm head binding to the zona.…”

Section: Sperm Maturationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Singular features of fertilization and their impact on the male reproductive system in eutherian mammals

Bedford

2014

Reproduction

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Therian (marsupial and eutherian) mammals have evolved a suite of novel reproductive features -seen variously in their gametes, the steps of fertilization and the male reproductive tract -whose adaptive significance remains unclear. Present evidence for the betterunderstood eutherian mammals suggests that the 'prime mover' in their evolution has been the character of the egg coat, with other such features being adaptations to the consequences of this. Its elastic thickness allows the zona pellucida to stretch to a variable degree and yet remain around the blastocyst during much or all of its expansion before implantation, but its character represents an unusual challenge for spermatozoa. Novel aspects of the acrosome related to this challenge enable it to maintain a relatively prolonged binding after the onset of the acrosome reaction, and the structure, shape and behaviour of the sperm head point to physical thrust as a major element of zona penetration -with the unique configuration of gamete fusion as a sequela of this strategy. In the male, such adaptations are reflected in sperm head formation in the testis and in sperm maturation in the epididymis involving at least the sperm head's structure, plasmalemma and acrosome. This complexity allied to a slow epididymal sperm transport, a relatively modest sperm production and the brief life span of mature spermatozoa kept above the cauda epididymidis could account for the evolution of the sperm storage function -a development seemingly linked, in turn, to the need for sperm capacitation and scrotal evolution.Reproduction (2014) 147 R43-R52

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“…This results in changes in the sperm plasma membrane ability to fuse with the oocyte. Finally, cholesterol efflux has also been shown to be involved in signal transduction phenomena leading to sperm capacitation (for reviews see Cross 1998, Travis & Kopf 2002.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nuclear oxysterol receptors, LXRs, are involved in the maintenance of mouse caput epididymidis structure and functions

Frenoux¹,

Vernet²,

Volle³

et al. 2004

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology

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In this study we looked at the epididymides and spermatozoa of mice knocked-out for nuclear oxysterol receptors (LXR). We have shown that LXR-deficient mice exhibited upon ageing a severe disruption of their caput epididymides associated with abnormal accumulation of neutral lipids. The epididymis defaults were correlated with sperm head fragility and infertility. In agreement with the observed caput defect in transgenic animals in which both LXR and LXR isoforms were disrupted, we have shown here that both receptors are expressed in caput and cauda epididymides regions. LXR was predominantly expressed throughout the mouse epididymis while the expression of LXR was weaker. In addition, the expression of selected genes that can be considered as markers of adult epididymis function was monitored via Northern blots in the different single and double LXR-deficient backgrounds. Altogether, the data presented here suggest that LXR receptors are important actors in epididymis function.

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Role of Cholesterol in Sperm Capacitation1

Cited by 345 publications

References 49 publications

Capacitation in the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrin results in enhanced zona pellucida-binding ability of stallion spermatozoa

Capacitation in the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrin results in enhanced zona pellucida-binding ability of stallion spermatozoa

Singular features of fertilization and their impact on the male reproductive system in eutherian mammals

Nuclear oxysterol receptors, LXRs, are involved in the maintenance of mouse caput epididymidis structure and functions

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