Molecular and cell biological study on the expression of germ cell function.

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[Transport of acrosome materials] The fonnation of the acrosome was hamperd when the vesicle transport inhibitor, breferdin, was added to the culture medium (Tanji et al. (1998) J Electron Microsc, 47 ; 161). [Modification of acrin 1 (MN7=90K) during epididymal maturation] Acrin 1 changed its localization accompanying the morphological change during epididymal maturation (Yoshinaga et at. (1998) Cell Tiss Res, 292 ; 427.). [Function of equatorin (MN9=48K)] The equatorin remained at the equatorial segment until sperm reached to the perivitelline space, although some amount of the equatorin was released during the acrosome reaction. Sperm could not penetrate into the egg, and remained in the perivitelline space under in vitro fertilization (IVF) condition in the presence of anti-equatorin antibody (mMN9). The cortical granules could not be released from the egg. Both pronuclear formation and 2-cell formation were inhibited significantly. Thus, the equatorin is found to be an essential molecule for sperm-egg membrane fusion. (Toshimori et al. (1998) Biol Reprod, 59 ; 22.). [Function of acrin 1 and acrin 2 (MC41=165K)] Acrin 1 was required for the acrosome reaction, while acrin 2 was required for a certain process during after acrosome reaction but before penetration through the zona pellucida. (Saxena et al. (1999) J Reprod Fert, in press.) (Function of acrin 3 (MC1O1=155K)] Acrin 3 was suggested to be related to the gamete fusion, but the detail of the mechanism remained unclear. [Cloning of MC31 antigen (26-35K)] MC31 was highly homologous to the CE9 molecule of rat sperm, which is a molecule of immunoglobulin superfamily. [Review] The maturation of sperm antigenic molecules was reviewed. (Toshimori K (1998) Cell Tissue Res, 293 ; 177.).