Sperm-Egg Recognition Mechanisms in Mammals

Paul M. Wassarman; Eveline S. Litscher

doi:10.1016/S0070-2153(08)60562-1

Sperm-Egg Recognition Mechanisms in Mammals

Paul M. Wassarman
, Eveline S. Litscher

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

81 Scopus citations

Abstract

This chapter describes gamete surface components that support tight species-specific binding of the free-swimming mammalian sperm to unfertilized eggs. Such binding is mediated in part, by carbohydrate. The zona pellucida glycoprotein, “ZP3,” serves as sperm receptor during fertilization in mammals. Close inspection of the characteristics of this glycoprotein, coupled with some speculation, may shed light on sperm–egg recognition mechanisms in mammals. ZP3 consists of at least two different functional domains, perhaps separated from each other, by a hinge region of the polypeptide. One of the domains is thought to include the C-terminal third of the ZP3 polypeptide, which possesses the O-linked oligosaccharides that constitute, at least in part, the combining site for the sperm.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-19
Number of pages	19
Journal	Current Topics in Developmental Biology
Volume	30
Issue number	C
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0070-2153(08)60562-1
State	Published - 1 Jan 1995
Externally published	Yes

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10.1016/S0070-2153(08)60562-1

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title = "Sperm-Egg Recognition Mechanisms in Mammals",

abstract = "This chapter describes gamete surface components that support tight species-specific binding of the free-swimming mammalian sperm to unfertilized eggs. Such binding is mediated in part, by carbohydrate. The zona pellucida glycoprotein, {\textquotedblleft}ZP3,{\textquotedblright} serves as sperm receptor during fertilization in mammals. Close inspection of the characteristics of this glycoprotein, coupled with some speculation, may shed light on sperm{\textendash}egg recognition mechanisms in mammals. ZP3 consists of at least two different functional domains, perhaps separated from each other, by a hinge region of the polypeptide. One of the domains is thought to include the C-terminal third of the ZP3 polypeptide, which possesses the O-linked oligosaccharides that constitute, at least in part, the combining site for the sperm.",

author = "Wassarman, \{Paul M.\} and Litscher, \{Eveline S.\}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank past and present members of our laboratory who carried out research on ZP3, and are grateful to the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Rockefeller Foun-",

year = "1995",

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doi = "10.1016/S0070-2153(08)60562-1",

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T1 - Sperm-Egg Recognition Mechanisms in Mammals

AU - Wassarman, Paul M.

AU - Litscher, Eveline S.

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PY - 1995/1/1

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N2 - This chapter describes gamete surface components that support tight species-specific binding of the free-swimming mammalian sperm to unfertilized eggs. Such binding is mediated in part, by carbohydrate. The zona pellucida glycoprotein, “ZP3,” serves as sperm receptor during fertilization in mammals. Close inspection of the characteristics of this glycoprotein, coupled with some speculation, may shed light on sperm–egg recognition mechanisms in mammals. ZP3 consists of at least two different functional domains, perhaps separated from each other, by a hinge region of the polypeptide. One of the domains is thought to include the C-terminal third of the ZP3 polypeptide, which possesses the O-linked oligosaccharides that constitute, at least in part, the combining site for the sperm.

AB - This chapter describes gamete surface components that support tight species-specific binding of the free-swimming mammalian sperm to unfertilized eggs. Such binding is mediated in part, by carbohydrate. The zona pellucida glycoprotein, “ZP3,” serves as sperm receptor during fertilization in mammals. Close inspection of the characteristics of this glycoprotein, coupled with some speculation, may shed light on sperm–egg recognition mechanisms in mammals. ZP3 consists of at least two different functional domains, perhaps separated from each other, by a hinge region of the polypeptide. One of the domains is thought to include the C-terminal third of the ZP3 polypeptide, which possesses the O-linked oligosaccharides that constitute, at least in part, the combining site for the sperm.

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JO - Current Topics in Developmental Biology

JF - Current Topics in Developmental Biology

IS - C

ER -

Sperm-Egg Recognition Mechanisms in Mammals

Abstract

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