Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Analysis of Epididymal Protein Synthesis and Secretion
10:23

Analysis of Epididymal Protein Synthesis and Secretion

Published on: August 25, 2018

Multiple functions of mouse zona pellucida glycoprotein mZP3, the sperm receptor

P M Wassarman1, E S Litscher

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA. paul.wassarman@mssm.edu

Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology = Archivio Italiano Di Anatomia Ed Embriologia
|December 6, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 (mZP3) is crucial for mammalian egg fertilization, acting as a sperm receptor and triggering the acrosome reaction via its oligosaccharides. This key glycoprotein is specific to mammals but shares similarities with egg envelope proteins in other vertebrates.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Glycobiology
  • Molecular and cell biology

Background:

  • The zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 (mZP3) is a vital structural component of mammalian eggs.
  • mZP3 plays critical roles in fertilization, including sperm binding and the induction of the acrosome reaction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the specific functions of mZP3 in mammalian egg fertilization.
  • To investigate the role of mZP3 oligosaccharides in mediating sperm-egg interactions.

Main Methods:

  • The study focuses on the functional roles of mZP3 and its oligosaccharide components.
  • Comparative analysis of mZP3 with related glycoproteins in non-mammalian vertebrates.

Main Results:

  • mZP3 functions as both a sperm receptor and an inducer of the acrosome reaction.
  • These functions are significantly influenced by the mZP3 oligosaccharides.
  • mZP3 is a mammalian-specific glycoprotein, distinct from but related to glycoproteins found in fish and bird egg envelopes.

Conclusions:

  • mZP3 is essential for mammalian fertilization, with its oligosaccharide structures playing a key role in sperm interaction and acrosome reaction induction.
  • The evolutionary conservation of related glycoproteins suggests a common ancestral function in egg protection and fertilization across vertebrates.

More Related Videos

Medium-throughput Screening Assays for Assessment of Effects on Ca2+-Signaling and Acrosome Reaction in Human Sperm05:44

Medium-throughput Screening Assays for Assessment of Effects on Ca2+-Signaling and Acrosome Reaction in Human Sperm

Published on: March 1, 2019

Real-Time Imaging of Acrosomal Calcium Dynamics and Exocytosis in Live Mouse Sperm05:04

Real-Time Imaging of Acrosomal Calcium Dynamics and Exocytosis in Live Mouse Sperm

Published on: October 13, 2023

Related Concept Videos

Spermatogenesis01:41

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis is the process by which haploid sperm cells are produced in the male testes. It starts with stem cells located close to the outer rim of seminiferous tubules. These spermatogonial stem cells divide asymmetrically to give rise to additional stem cells (meaning that these structures “self-renew”), as well as sperm progenitors, called spermatocytes. Importantly, this method of asymmetric mitotic division maintains a population of spermatogonial stem cells in the male reproductive...
Fertilization01:38

Fertilization

During fertilization, an egg and sperm cell fuse to create a new diploid structure. In humans, the process occurs once the egg has been released from the ovary, and travels into the fallopian tubes. The process requires several key steps: 1) sperm present in the genital tract must locate the egg; 2) once there, sperm need to release enzymes to help them burrow through the protective zona pellucida of the egg; and 3) the membranes of a single sperm cell and egg must fuse, with the sperm...
Role of Matrix Metalloproteases in Degradation of ECM01:23

Role of Matrix Metalloproteases in Degradation of ECM

Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of proteins and glycoproteins of the extracellular matrix. MMPs are essential for the migration and proliferation of cells through the dense matrix network, throughout embryonic development, and throughout morphogenesis. The first MMP activity discovered was a collagenase in a tadpole's tail undergoing metamorphosis. The active collagen deposition and modifications lead to the morphogenesis of tadpoles into the adult body.
A...
Sperm Structure and Semen Composition01:22

Sperm Structure and Semen Composition

During ejaculation, males release around 2-5 milliliters of semen, which is a complex mixture of mature sperm and various fluids produced by accessory glands. The mature sperm cells measure approximately 60 micrometers in length and consist of a head, neck, midpiece, and tail. The head is flattened and tapered, measuring about 4 to 5 micrometers in length. It contains a nucleus with condensed chromosomes and an acrosome, a cap-like structure filled with enzymes essential for penetrating the...