Akademska digitalna zbirka SLovenije - logo
E-resources
Peer reviewed Open access
  • Regulation and roles of Ca2...
    Correia, Joao; Michelangeli, Francesco; Publicover, Stephen

    Reproduction 150, Issue: 2
    Journal Article

    Ca(2)(+)i signalling is a key regulatory mechanism in sperm function. In mammalian sperm the Ca(2)(+)-permeable plasma membrane ion channel CatSper is central to Ca(2)(+)i signalling, but there is good evidence that Ca(2)(+) stored in intracellular organelles is also functionally important. Here we briefly review the current understanding of the diversity of Ca(2)(+) stores and the mechanisms for the regulation of their activity. We then consider the evidence for the involvement of these stores in Ca(2)(+)i signalling in mammalian (primarily human) sperm, the agonists that may activate these stores and their role in control of sperm function. Finally we consider the evidence that membrane Ca(2)(+) channels and stored Ca(2)(+) may play discrete roles in the regulation of sperm activities and propose a mechanism by which these different components of the sperm Ca(2)(+)-signalling apparatus may interact to generate complex and spatially diverse Ca(2)(+)i signals.