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Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Author Spotlight: A Live Cell Imaging Technique to Study Calcium Signaling and Acrosome Exocytosis in Mouse Sperm
Published on: October 13, 2023
The coupling apparatus of the sperm head and tail†
Bingbing Wu1,2, Hui Gao1, Chao Liu1
1State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Abstract:
A strong sperm head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA) is needed to ensure the integrity of spermatozoa during their fierce competition to fertilize the egg. A lot of HTCA-specific components have evolved to strengthen the attachment of the tail to the implantation fossa at the sperm head. Defects in HTCA formation lead to acephalic spermatozoa syndrome and pathologies of some male infertility. Recent studies have provided insights into the pathogenic molecular mechanisms of acephalic spermatozoa syndrome. Here, we summarize the proteins involved in sperm neck development and focus on their roles in the formation of HTCA. In addition, we discuss the fine structures of the sperm neck in different species from an evolutionary view, highlighting the potential conservative mechanism of HTCA formation.
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