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Related Concept Videos

Patch Clamp01:18

Patch Clamp

Many fundamental cell functions such as muscle contraction and nerve transmission rely on the electrical signals produced by the movement of positively and negatively charged ions across the cell membrane. One competent method to record current flowing across the whole cell or single ion channel is the patch-clamp technique.
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...
Ion Channels01:19

Ion Channels

The movement of ions like sodium, potassium, and calcium into and out of the cell is essential to maintain the electrochemical gradient in living cells. The ion channels—a class of membrane transport proteins—help maintain this ionic gradient for the smooth functioning of physiological activities such as maintaining cell size and volume, conducting nerve impulses, and gas and nutrient exchange.
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...

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Ion Channels as Gatekeepers of Fertility: From Uterine Kir7.1 to Sperm CatSper.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording
13:07

One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording

Published on: June 9, 2014

Rediscovering sperm ion channels with the patch-clamp technique.

Yuriy Kirichok1, Polina V Lishko

  • 1Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco UCSF Mail Code 2140, Genentech Hall Room N272F 600 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. yuriy.kirichok@ucsf.edu

Molecular Human Reproduction
|June 7, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Sperm ion channels control fertilization by regulating sperm motility and the acrosome reaction. New patch-clamp techniques have revealed key channels like CatSper, improving our understanding of sperm function.

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Patch Clamp and Perfusion Techniques for Studying Ion Channels Expressed in Xenopus oocytes
10:19

Patch Clamp and Perfusion Techniques for Studying Ion Channels Expressed in Xenopus oocytes

Published on: January 10, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 1, 2026

One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording
13:07

One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording

Published on: June 9, 2014

Patch Clamp and Perfusion Techniques for Studying Ion Channels Expressed in Xenopus oocytes
10:19

Patch Clamp and Perfusion Techniques for Studying Ion Channels Expressed in Xenopus oocytes

Published on: January 10, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Cell Physiology
  • Ion Channel Research

Background:

  • Mammalian spermatozoa require physiological transformations for fertilization, including motility changes and the acrosome reaction.
  • Sperm ion channels are crucial for regulating intracellular pH and Ca(2+) levels, which are essential for these transformations.
  • Studying sperm ion channels has been challenging due to technical difficulties with patch-clamp electrophysiology on spermatozoa.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of sperm ion channels in controlling sperm behavior during fertilization.
  • To discuss the historical development and recent advancements in patch-clamp techniques for studying sperm ion channels.
  • To highlight newly discovered sperm ion channels and their significance.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on sperm ion channels and fertilization.
  • Discussion of the evolution of patch-clamp electrophysiology techniques applicable to spermatozoa.
  • Focus on the whole-cell patch-clamp technique for mouse and human sperm.

Main Results:

  • Sperm ion channels mediate intracellular Ca(2+) and pH signaling, controlling sperm motility, hyperactivation, and the acrosome reaction.
  • The development of reproducible whole-cell patch-clamp techniques has enabled significant progress in the field.
  • Identification of novel sperm-specific ion channels, including CatSper, KSper (Slo3), and HSper (H(v)1).

Conclusions:

  • The patch-clamp technique has revolutionized the study of sperm ion channels, enhancing our understanding of fertilization.
  • Newly identified channels like CatSper, KSper, and HSper are critical for sperm function.
  • Further research using these techniques is essential for elucidating species-specific differences and the molecular mechanisms governing sperm behavior in the female reproductive tract.