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PMID: 24791005 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Review

Bioenergetics of mammalian sperm capacitation.

BioMed research international ·Vol. 2014 ·2014-00-00 ·Pages 902953

Ferramosca A, Zara V

Abstract

After ejaculation, the mammalian male gamete must undergo the capacitation process, which is a prerequisite for egg fertilization. The bioenergetics of sperm capacitation is poorly understood despite its fundamental role in sustaining the biochemical and molecular events occurring during gamete activation. Glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are the two major metabolic pathways producing ATP which is the primary source of energy for spermatozoa. Since recent data suggest that spermatozoa have the ability to use different metabolic substrates, the main aim of this work is to present a broad overview of the current knowledge on the energy-producing metabolic pathways operating inside sperm mitochondria during capacitation in different mammalian species. Metabolism of glucose and of other energetic substrates, such as pyruvate, lactate, and citrate, is critically analyzed. Such knowledge, besides its obvious importance for basic science, could eventually translate into the development of novel strategies for treatment of male infertility, artificial reproduction, and sperm selection methods.

MeSH Terms
Animals Energy Metabolism/physiology Male Mammals/physiology Sperm Capacitation/physiology
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Ferramosca Alessandra
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
Zara Vincenzo
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
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Article Info
Journal
BioMed research international
Abbr.
Biomed Res Int
ISSN
2314-6141
DOI
10.1155/2014/902953
Published
2014-00-00
Epub
2014-00-25
Pages
902953
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
101600173
PMCID
PMC3984864
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1155/2014/902953 PMC Full Text View journal details
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