Premium
Reduced fertility of mouse epididymal sperm lacking Prss21/Tesp5 is rescued by sperm exposure to uterine microenvironment
Author(s) -
Yamashita Misuzu,
Honda Arata,
Ogura Atsuo,
Kashiwabara Shinichi,
Fukami Kiyoko,
Baba Tadashi
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
genes to cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1365-2443
pISSN - 1356-9597
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2443.2008.01222.x
Subject(s) - biology , sperm , andrology , epididymis , fertility , capacitation , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , population , medicine , demography , sociology
Although the acrosome reaction and subsequent penetration of sperm through the egg zona pellucida (ZP) are essential for mammalian fertilization, the molecular mechanism is still controversial. We have previously identified serine protease Tesp5 identical to Prss21 on the mouse sperm surface as a candidate enzyme involved in sperm penetration through the ZP. Here we show that despite normal fertility of male mice lacking Prss21/Tesp5, the epididymal sperm penetrates the ZP only at a very low rate in vitro , presumably owing to the reduced ability to bind the ZP and undergo the ZP‐induced acrosome reaction. The ability of Prss21‐null sperm to fuse with the egg in vitro was also impaired severely. Intriguingly, the reduced fertility of Prss21‐null epididymal sperm was rescued by exposure of the sperm to the uterine microenvironment and by in vitro treatment of the sperm with uterine fluids. These data suggest the physiological importance of sperm transport through the uterus.