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Related Experiment Videos

The initiation of development at fertilization.

D Epel1

  • 1Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950.

Cell Differentiation and Development : the Official Journal of the International Society of Developmental Biologists
|January 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Fertilization triggers key cellular events, including calcium and pH changes, initiating development. These shifts activate enzymes and pathways essential for cell cycle initiation and embryonic development.

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Area of Science:

  • Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Reproductive Biology

Background:

  • Fertilization initiates a cascade of intracellular events crucial for embryonic development.
  • Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying early development is fundamental to reproductive biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the roles of calcium (Ca2+) and intracellular pH (pHi) in early embryonic development following fertilization.
  • To investigate the signaling pathways activated by sperm-egg interaction, including inositol trisphosphate (IP3) production and its consequences.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of free calcium (Ca2+) and intracellular pH (pHi) levels in response to sperm-mediated signaling.
  • Assay of enzyme activities, including NAD kinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), in permeabilized cells.

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  • Investigation of the roles of diacylglycerol and protein kinase C (PKC) in activating ion transport.

    • Main Results:

    • Sperm entry triggers phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) hydrolysis, producing inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and increasing intracellular calcium (Ca2+).
    • Elevated Ca2+ activates Na+-H+ exchange, leading to increased cytosolic pHi and activation of enzymes like NAD kinase.
    • Increased pHi and Ca2+ may independently initiate DNA synthesis and protein synthesis (including cyclins), converging to activate maturation-promoting factor (MPF) and the first mitotic cycle.

    Conclusions:

    • Fertilization acts as a critical external signal activating a pre-programmed developmental cascade.
    • The interplay of Ca2+ and pHi changes is central to initiating the cell cycle and subsequent embryonic development.
    • Future research should focus on the precise mechanisms of PIP2 hydrolysis and the downstream targets of Ca2+ and pHi signaling in early development.