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1 May 2003 Characterization of the Intracellular Calcium Store at the Base of the Sperm Flagellum That Regulates Hyperactivated Motility
Han-Chen Ho, Susan S. Suarez
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Abstract

Hyperactivated sperm motility is usually characterized by high-amplitude flagellar bends and asymmetrical flagellar beating. There is evidence that an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor-gated Ca2 store in the base of the flagellum provides Ca2 to initiate hyperactivation; however, the identity of the store was not known. Ca2 stores are membrane-bounded organelles, and the only two membrane-bounded organelles found in this region of sperm are the redundant nuclear envelope (RNE) and mitochondria. Transmission electron micrographs revealed two different compartments of RNE, one enriched with nuclear pores and the other containing few pores but extensive membranous structures with enlarged cisternae. Immunolabeling showed that IP3 receptors and calreticulin are located in the region containing enlarged cisternae. In other cell types, mitochondria adjacent to Ca2 stores are actively involved in modulating Ca2 signals by taking up Ca2 released from stores and also may respond by increasing production of NADH and ATP to support increased energy demand. Nevertheless, bull sperm did not show an increase in NADH when Ca2 was released from intracellular stores by thapsigargin to induce hyperactivation. Consistently, no net increase in ATP production was detected when sperm were hyperactivated, although ATP was hydrolyzed at a greater rate. Furthermore, blocking Ca2 efflux from mitochondria by CGP-37157, a specific inhibitor of the mitochondrial Na /Ca2 exchanger, did not inhibit the development of hyperactivated motility. We concluded that the intracellular Ca2 store is the part of RNE that contains enlarged cisternae and that Ca2 is released directly to the axoneme to trigger hyperactivated motility without the active participation of mitochondria.

Han-Chen Ho and Susan S. Suarez "Characterization of the Intracellular Calcium Store at the Base of the Sperm Flagellum That Regulates Hyperactivated Motility," Biology of Reproduction 68(5), 1590-1596, (1 May 2003). https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.102.011320
Received: 12 September 2002; Accepted: 1 November 2002; Published: 1 May 2003
KEYWORDS
calcium
fertilization
gamete biology
sperm motility and transport
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