Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Sperm bauplan and function and underlying processes of sperm formation and selection.
Teves, Maria Eugenia; Roldan, Eduardo R S.
Affiliation
  • Teves ME; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
  • Roldan ERS; Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
Physiol Rev ; 102(1): 7-60, 2022 01 01.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33880962
The spermatozoon is a highly differentiated and polarized cell, with two main structures: the head, containing a haploid nucleus and the acrosomal exocytotic granule, and the flagellum, which generates energy and propels the cell; both structures are connected by the neck. The sperm's main aim is to participate in fertilization, thus activating development. Despite this common bauplan and function, there is an enormous diversity in structure and performance of sperm cells. For example, mammalian spermatozoa may exhibit several head patterns and overall sperm lengths ranging from ∼30 to 350 µm. Mechanisms of transport in the female tract, preparation for fertilization, and recognition of and interaction with the oocyte also show considerable variation. There has been much interest in understanding the origin of this diversity, both in evolutionary terms and in relation to mechanisms underlying sperm differentiation in the testis. Here, relationships between sperm bauplan and function are examined at two levels: first, by analyzing the selective forces that drive changes in sperm structure and physiology to understand the adaptive values of this variation and impact on male reproductive success and second, by examining cellular and molecular mechanisms of sperm formation in the testis that may explain how differentiation can give rise to such a wide array of sperm forms and functions.
Subject(s)
Key words

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Spermatozoa / Testis / Exocytosis Limits: Animals / Humans / Male Language: En Journal: Physiol Rev Year: 2022 Type: Article

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Spermatozoa / Testis / Exocytosis Limits: Animals / Humans / Male Language: En Journal: Physiol Rev Year: 2022 Type: Article