The Cell Biology of Fertilization

The Cell Biology of Fertilization provides an introduction to the various aspects of fertilization in several species, including nematodes, insects, ascidians, clams, sea urchins, rats, hamsters, cows, pigs, sheep, and humans. This text discusses the experimental approaches using methods of biophysics, biochemistry, enzymology, immunology, cell biology, and molecular biology.
This book is comprised of three parts encompassing 15 chapters. Part I explores the ability of egg factors to affect sperm motility and initiate the acrosome reaction by modifying ion movements across the sperm plasma membrane. Part II considers the aspects of egg architecture, ranging from extracellular remodelling to nuclei organization, which is involved in embryogenesis and fertilization. Part III provides an overview of gene expression, oncogenes, and nuclear determination during embryogenesis and at fertilization.
Cell biologists, developmental biologists, molecular biologists, geneticists, biophysicists, biochemists, reproductive biologists, scientists, researchers, and students will find this book extremely useful.

Contenu

Contributors
Preface
I Sperm Behavior and Motility
1 Ionic Regulation of the Sea Urchin Sperm Acrosome Reaction and Stimulation by Egg-Derived Peptides
I. Introduction
II. The Acrosome Reaction
III. Increases in pHi and [Ca2+]i by Peptides from Egg Jelly
IV. Summary
References
2 Caltrin and Calcium Regulation of Sperm Activity
I. The Role of Calcium in Capacitation
II. The Discovery of Caltrin
III. Properties and Function of Caltrin
IV. Enhancement of Calcium Transport by Caltrin
V. Experiments with Antibodies to Caltrin
VI. Postulated Role for Caltrin
References
3 Sperm Motility in Nematodes: Crawling Movement without Actin
I. Introduction
II. Preparation for Motility: Activation of Nematode Sperm
III. Membrane Dynamics and Locomotion
IV. Cytoskeletal Elements in Sperm
V. Toward a Model for Nematode Sperm Motility
References
II Remodeling of Egg Architecture
4 Whole-Mount Analyses of Cytoskeletal Reorganization and Function during Oogenesis and Early Embryogenesis in Xenopus
I. Introduction
II. Cytoskeletal Systems
III. The Cytoplasmic Asymmetry of the Oocyte
IV. The Transformation from Oocyte to Egg
V. Cytoskeletal Dynamics and the Determination of Embryonic Axes
VI. Gastrulation, Neurulation, and Beyond
VII. Cytoskeletal Proteins as Markers of Differentiation
VIII. Conclusions
References
5 Egg Cortical Architecture
I. Architecture of the Egg Cortex
II. Cortical Granule Reaction
III. Membrane Changes at Fertilization
IV. Integration of the Sperm and Egg Plasma Membrane
V. Fertilization Cone Formation
VI. Microvillar Elongation
VII. Endocytosis
References
6 Cytoplasmic Mictrotubule-Associated Motors
I. Introduction
II. Preparation of Sea Urchin Egg Microtubules
III. Sea Urchin Egg Microtubule-Associated ATPase Activity
IV. Sea Urchin Egg HMr3
V. "Soluble" Sea Urchin Egg Cytoplasmic Dynein
VI. Sea Urchin Egg Kinesin
VII. A Microtubule-Associated Motor from C. elegans
VIII. Concluding Remarks
References
7 The Fine Structure of the Formation of Mitotic Poles in Fertilized Eggs
I. Introduction
II. The Centrosome: Structure and Function
III. The First Bipolarization in the Fertilized Egg
IV. The Centrosomal Cycle in the Mitotic Cycle
References
8 Intermediate Filaments during Fertilization and Early Embryogenesis
I. Introduction
II. Structure and Function of Intermediate Filaments
III. Intermediate Filament Proteins in Spermatozoa
IV. Expression of Intermediate Filament Proteins in Early Embryonic Development of Vertebrates
V. Intermediate Filaments in Invertebrates
VI. The Cytoskeleton in Drosophila and Other Dipteran Embryos
VII. Conclusion
References
9 Nuclear Architectural Changes during Fertilization and Development
I. Introduction: The Karyoskeleton and Its Dynamic Nature
II. Nuclear Lamins
III. Kinetochores, the Nuclear Matrix, and Other Karyoskeletal Components
IV. Future Research
References
10 Extracellular Remodeling during Fertilization
I. Introduction
II. Specific Systems of Egg Coat Modification
III. Mechanism of Extracellular Remodeling during Fertilization
References
11 Dispermic Human Fertilization: Violation of Expected Cell Behavior
I. The Fertilization Process in Humans
II. Dispermic Fertilization in Animals and Humans
III. Future Research Directions
IV. Conclusions
References
III Ionic Regulation and Its Controls
12 G-Proteins and the Regulation of Oocyte Maturation and Fertilization
I. Introduction
II. Oocyte Maturation
III. Sperm Activation
IV. Egg Activation
V. Unanswered Questions
References
13 The Relaxation State of Water in Unfertilized and Fertilized Sea Urchin Eggs
I. Introduction
II. Sea Urchin Studies
References
14 Calcium and Mitosis: A Mythos?
I. Microtubules are Sensitive to Calcium
II. From Calcium to Calmodulin to Microtubules
III. Effects of Ca Ions on Mitotic Spindles In Vivo and In Vitro
IV. Calcium Changes at Mitosis
V. Calcium in the Mitotic Apparatus
VI. Ca-Sequestering Membranes in the Mitotic Apparatus
VII. Calcium Release by Inositol Polyphosphates
VIII. Functional Analysis of the Calcium Transport System
IX. Summary and Outlook
References
15 Arousal of Activity in Sea Urchin Eggs at Fertilization
I. Introduction
II. Signal Transduction Mechanisms
III. Strategies for Studying Egg Activation
IV. Experimental Analysis of Egg Activation
V. Summary and Overview
References
Index