Towards molecular mechanisms for gamete adhesion and fusion during mammalian fertilization

Abstract

The process of fertilization is fundamental to the maintenance of life. The ability of unfertilized eggs and free-swimming sperm to recognize, adhere to, and fuse with each other are vital aspects of the fertilization process. Significant progress has been made recently in identifying and characterizing (glyco)proteins that are associated with the surface of mammalian gametes and that support adhesion and fusion of eggs and sperm. As a result, there are currently reasons to believe that, in mammals, species-specific gamete adhesion is carbohydrate-mediated and gamete fusion is intergrin-mediated.