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Molecular Reproduction & Development Volume 78, Issue 12 cover image
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/mrd.21407
Subject(s) - biology , tunicate , sperm , microbiology and biotechnology , adenylyl cyclase , ciona intestinalis , signal transduction , motility , sperm motility , chemotaxis , sea urchin , calcium in biology , gamete , intracellular , anatomy , genetics , gene , receptor , ecology
Signal transduction across plasma membrane is prerequisite for activation of sperm motility and sperm chemotaxis at fertilization. An oscillatory increase in intracellular calcium occurs upon activation of tunicate sperm (shown in false color in the foreground, clockwise displaying later time points; starting at 11:00). Zhu and Inaba (this issue) report that lipid rafts are essential for these calcium dynamics and for subsequent activation of adenylyl cyclase. Background image is of a single tunicate, Ciona intestinalis.