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Comment
. 2011 Dec 13;108(50):19843-4.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.1118234109. Epub 2011 Dec 5.

Fertilization with acrosome-reacted mouse sperm: implications for the site of exocytosis

Matteo A Avella  1 , Jurrien Dean
Affiliations
Comment

Fertilization with acrosome-reacted mouse sperm: implications for the site of exocytosis

Matteo A Avella et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .
No abstract available

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Sperm acrosome reaction. (A) The fertilizing sperm, capacitated by passage through the female reproductive tract, must undergo acrosome exocytosis before fusion with the egg in the perivitelline space. The site of this acrosome reaction has been variously described as occurring (i) while sperm pass through the cumulus oophorus (gray background) surrounding ovulated eggs; (ii) upon sperm binding to the surface of the extracellular zona pellucida; and (iii) during initial penetration of the zona matrix. (B) The acrosome is a Golgi-derived subcellular organelle that underlies the anterior plasma membrane of the sperm head (Upper Right). Upon mobilization of internal stores of calcium, the plasma membrane (PM) fuses with the outer acrosomal membrane (OAM), and acrosomal contents are released through resultant fenestrations (Center). Acrosome-reacted sperm within the perivitelline space have an exposed inner acrosomal membrane (IAM) and fuse to the egg via the residual equatorial segment of the plasma membrane (Lower Left).
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