Epithelial and Neural cadherins are present in spermatozoa and oocytes and participate in fertilization-related events. Studies in human, murine and bovine models

VAZQUEZ-LEVIN, M. H.; MARIN-BRIGGILER, C.; VEIGA, F.; CABALLERO, J.; ARZONDO, M.; ROSSO, M.; MATOS, ML.; LAPYCKYJ, L.; DEL POZO, M.

Melbourne

Congreso; 10th International Congress of Andrology; 2013

International Society of Andrology

Epithelial(E-cad) and Neural(N-cad) cadherins are involved in Ca+2-dependent cell-cell adhesion/signalling in somatic cells. Fertilization depends on Ca+2 and involves somatic cellgamete and sperm-oocyte interactions, but participation of cadherins in these events has not been characterized. This study aimed to evaluate E-cad and N-cad expression in reproductive tissues and gametes and to evaluate their involvement in fertilization using human/murine/bovine models. E-cad was immunolocalized to the plasma membrane of sperm, cumulus cells and oocytes, and the 120 KDa mature protein was immunodetected in all cases. Its expression (mRNA/protein)was characterized in the oviduct, ovary and epididymis. In the three models, gamete preincubation with anti E-cad antibodies inhibited sperm-ZP (P