Work

Evidence for a secretory pathway Ca2+‐ATPase in sea urchin spermatozoa

Year: 2006

Type: article

Abstract: Plasma membrane, sarco-endoplasmic reticulum and secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPases (designated PMCA, SERCA and SPCA) regulate intracellular Ca2+ in animal cells. The presence of PMCA, and the absence of SERCA, in sea urchin sperm is known. By using inhibitors of Ca2+-ATPases, we now show the presence of SPCA and Ca2+ store in sea urchin sperm, which refills by SPCA-type pumps. Immunofluorescence shows SPCA localizes to the mitochondrion. Ca2+ measurements reveal that approximately 75% of Ca2+ extrusion is by Ca2+ ATPases and 25% by Na+ dependent Ca2+ exchanger/s. Bisphenol, a Ca2+ ATPase inhibitor, completely blocks the acrosome reaction, indicating the importance of Ca2+-ATPases in fertilization.

Source: FEBS Letters

DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.06.019

Authors: Herath Jayantha Gunaratne, Victor D. Vacquier

Institutions: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego

Language: English

Topic: Ion Channels and Receptors

Subfield: Sensory Systems

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Award: G2010519799