IBYME   02675
INSTITUTO DE BIOLOGIA Y MEDICINA EXPERIMENTAL
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
From the epididymis to the egg
Autor/es:
CUASNICÚ PS
Lugar:
Barcelona
Reunión:
Congreso; 8th European Congress of Andrology; 2014
Institución organizadora:
European Academy of Andrology
Resumen:
Fertilization is a key process to the development of a new individual. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying sperm-egg interaction still remain to be elucidated. For the past twenty five years, our laboratory has been dedicated to underpin the molecular mechanisms involved in mammalian sperm-egg interaction using CRISP proteins as model molecules. Epididymal protein CRISP1, identified by our laboratory, is the first described member of the evolutionarily conserved CRISP (Cystein-Rich Secretory Protein) family with members present mainly in the male reproductive tract. Substantial evidence from our laboratory obtained using in vitro assays and knockout models shows that epididymal CRISP1 associates with the sperm surface during maturation and participates in both sperm-zona pellucida interaction and gamete fusion through its binding to complementary sites in the egg. These observations can be extended to human as judged by our findings showing that the human homologue of the rodent protein (hCRISP1) is also involved in both stages of fertilization. Interestingly, recent results using knockout mice revealed that CRISP1 is also expressed along the female tract including the cumulus cells that surround the egg and that this female CRISP1 protein plays an important role in cumulus penetration by modulating the functional status of sperm. Together, our observations indicate that CRISP proteins escort both the male and the female gamete and are multifunctional proteins playing key roles during the fertilization process. We believe these results not only contribute to a better mechanistic understanding of sperm-egg interaction but also support CRISP proteins as excellent targets for future research on infertility and contraception.