Mammalian membrane block to polyspermy: new insights into how mammalian eggs prevent fertilisation by multiple sperm

Allison J. Gardner; Janice P. Evans

doi:10.1071/RD05122

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Previous Next Contents Vol 18(2)

Mammalian membrane block to polyspermy: new insights into how mammalian eggs prevent fertilisation by multiple sperm

Allison J. Gardner ^A and Janice P. Evans ^A ^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Division of Reproductive Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.

^B Corresponding author. Email: jpevans@jhsph.edu

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 18(2) 53-61 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD05122
Submitted: 21 September 2005 Accepted: 21 September 2005 Published: 14 December 2005

Abstract

To inhibit fertilisation by more than one sperm (a condition known as polyspermy), eggs have developed preventative mechanisms known as blocks to polyspermy. The block at the level of the egg extracellular coat (the zona pellucida in mammals, the vitelline envelope in non-mammals) has been well characterised in many different animal species and the block at the level of the egg plasma membrane is understood in some non-mammalian species. However, virtually nothing is known about the membrane block to polyspermy in mammalian eggs, despite data dating back 50–90 years that provide evidence for its existence. In the present review, we will discuss the background on blocks to polyspermy used by animal eggs and then focus on the membrane block to polyspermy in mammalian eggs. This will include a summary of classical studies that provide evidence for this block in mammalian eggs, assays used to study the mammalian membrane block and what has been elucidated from recent experimental studies about the cellular signalling events that lead to membrane block establishment and the mechanism of how the membrane block may prevent additional fertilisation.

Acknowledgments

Work in our laboratory is supported by grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in the National Institutes of Health (HD037696, HD045671) and the March of Dimes (6-FY04–59) to JPE. AJG has been supported by a training grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD 07276).

References

Abbott, A. L. , and Ducibella, T. (2001). Calcium and the control of mammalian cortical granule exocytosis. Front. Biosci. 6, D792–D806.
| PubMed | Austin C. R. (1961). ‘The Mammalian Egg.’ (Charles C. Thomas: Springfield, MO, USA.)

Bedford, S. J. , Kurokawa, M. , Hinrichs, K. , and Fissore, R. A. (2004). Patterns of intracellular calcium oscillations in horse oocytes fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection: possible explanations for the low success of this assisted reproduction technique in the horse. Biol. Reprod. 70, 936–944.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Hedrick J. L., and Hardy D. M. (1991). Isolation of extracellular matrix structures from Xenopus laevis oocytes, eggs, and embryos. In ‘Methods in Cell Biology, Volume 36. Xenopus laevis: Practical Uses in Cell and Molecular Biology’. (Eds B. K. Kay and H. B. Peng.) pp. 231–247. (Academic Press: San Diego, CA, USA.)

Horvath, P. M. , Kellom, T. , Caulfield, J. , and Boldt, J. (1993). Mechanistic studies of the plasma membrane block to polyspermy in mouse eggs. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 34, 65–72.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Hunter R. H. F. (1991b). Fertilization in the pig and horse. In ‘A Comparative Overview of Mammalian Fertilization’. (Eds B. S. Dunbar and M. G. O’Rand.) pp. 329–349. (Plenum Press: New York, USA.)

Hunter, R. H. , Vajta, G. , and Hyttel, P. (1998). Long-term stability of the bovine block to polyspermy. J. Exp. Zool. 280, 182–188.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Jaffe L. A., and Gould M. (1985). Polyspermy-preventing mechanisms. In ‘Biology of Fertilization: The Fertilization Response of the Egg’, Vol. 3. (Eds C. B. Metz and A. Monroy.) pp. 223–250. (Academic Press: Orlando, FL, USA.)

Jaffe, L. A. , Sharp, A. P. , and Wolf, D. P. (1983). Absence of an electrical polyspermy block in the mouse. Dev. Biol. 96, 317–323.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Suarez S. S. (1999). Regulation of sperm transport in the mammalian oviduct. In ‘The Male Gamete: From Basic Science to Clinical Applications’. (Ed. C. Gagnon.) pp. 71–80. (Cache River Press: Vienna, IL, USA.)

Sutovsky, P. , Oko, R. , Hewitson, L. , and Schatten, G. (1997). The removal of the sperm perinuclear theca and its association with the bovine oocyte surface during fertilization. Dev. Biol. 188, 75–84.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Yanagimachi R. (1994). Mammalian fertilization. In ‘The Physiology of Reproduction’. (Eds E. Knobil and J. D. Neill.) pp. 189–317. (Raven Press: New York, USA.)

Yanagimachi, R. (2005). Intracytoplasmic injection of spermatozoa and spermatogenic cells: its biology and applications in humans and animals. Reprod. Biomed. Online 10, 247–288.
| PubMed |

Zaragoza, M. V. , Surti, U. , Redline, R. W. , Millie, E. , Chakravarti, A. , and Hassold, T. J. (2000). Parental origin and phenotype of triploidy in spontaneous abortions: predominance of diandry and association with the partial hydatidiform mole. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 66, 1807–1820.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |

Zuccotti, M. , Yanagimachi, R. , and Yanagimachi, H. (1991). The ability of hamster oolemma to fuse with spermatozoa: its acquisition during oogenesis and loss after fertilization. Development 112, 143–152.
| PubMed |