Skip Navigation


Hum. Reprod. Advance Access first published online on June 24, 2005
This version published online on June 29, 2005
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/dei158
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
20/10/2675    most recent
dei158v2
dei158v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Harper, C. V.
Right arrow Articles by Publicover, S. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Harper, C. V.
Right arrow Articles by Publicover, S. J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved.
Received March 24, 2005
Revised April 29, 2005
Accepted May 24, 2005

Opinion

Reassessing the role of progesterone in fertilization--compartmentalized calcium signalling in human spermatozoa?

Claire V. Harper 1 and Stephen J. Publicover 2*

1 School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; Present address: School of Biological Sciences, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
2 School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Stephen J. Publicover, E-mail: S.J.PUBLICOVER{at}bham.ac.uk


  Abstract

Progesterone is present at micromolar concentrations in the vicinity of the oocyte. Human spermatozoa generate a biphasic rise in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and undergo the acrosome reaction upon progesterone stimulation, suggesting that the hormone acts as a secondary inducer or ‘primer’ of the acrosome reaction in association with the zona pellucida. However, the sensitivity of human spermatozoa to progesterone is such that many cells may undergo the acrosome reaction prematurely, compromising their ability to fertilize. We have shown that exposing human spermatozoa to a progesterone gradient, simulating the stimulus encountered as sperm approach the oocyte, results in a novel response. A slow rise in [Ca2+]i occurs, upon which, in many cells, [Ca2+]i oscillations are superimposed. Cells showing this pattern of response do not undergo the acrosome reaction, but instead show an alternating pattern of flagellar activity associated with peaks and troughs of [Ca2+]i. A Ca2+ store in the rear of the sperm head apparently generates this complex signal, functioning as an ‘[Ca2+]i oscillator’. We propose that: (i) the acrosome reaction and flagellar beat are regulated by separate Ca2+ stores; (ii) these stores are mobilized through different mechanisms by different agonists; and (iii) progesterone in vivo acts as a switch for the oscillator which regulates the flagellar beat mode.

Keywords: ovarian response/ovarian stromal blood flow/power Doppler.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
G. Machado-Oliveira, L. Lefievre, C. Ford, M. B. Herrero, C. Barratt, T. J. Connolly, K. Nash, A. Morales-Garcia, J. Kirkman-Brown, and S. Publicover
Mobilisation of Ca2+ stores and flagellar regulation in human sperm by S-nitrosylation: a role for NO synthesised in the female reproductive tract
Development, November 15, 2008; 135(22): 3677 - 3686.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
S. S. Suarez
Control of hyperactivation in sperm
Hum. Reprod. Update, November 1, 2008; 14(6): 647 - 657.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ReproductionHome page
L. Lefievre, K. Bedu-Addo, S. J Conner, G. S M Machado-Oliveira, Y. Chen, J. C Kirkman-Brown, M. A Afnan, S. J Publicover, W C. L Ford, and C. L R Barratt
Counting sperm does not add up any more: time for a new equation?
Reproduction, April 1, 2007; 133(4): 675 - 684.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Biol. Reprod.Home page
Y.-Q. Su, M. Nyegaard, M. T. Overgaard, J. Qiao, and L. C. Giudice
Participation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Luteinizing Hormone-Induced Differential Regulation of Steroidogenesis and Steroidogenic Gene Expression in Mural and Cumulus Granulosa Cells of Mouse Preovulatory Follicles
Biol Reprod, December 1, 2006; 75(6): 859 - 867.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.