| First Author | Ihara M | Year | 2005 |
| Journal | Dev Cell | Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 343-52 |
| PubMed ID | 15737930 | Mgi Jnum | J:96670 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3531235 | Doi | 10.1016/j.devcel.2004.12.005 |
| Citation | Ihara M, et al. (2005) Cortical organization by the septin cytoskeleton is essential for structural and mechanical integrity of mammalian spermatozoa. Dev Cell 8(3):343-52 |
| abstractText | Septins are polymerizing GTP binding proteins required for cortical organization during cytokinesis and other cellular processes. A mammalian septin gene Sept4 is expressed mainly in postmitotic neural cells and postmeiotic male germ cells. In mouse and human spermatozoa, SEPT4 and other septins are found in the annulus, a cortical ring which separates the middle and principal pieces. Sept4-/- male mice are sterile due to defective morphology and motility of the sperm flagellum. In Sept4 null spermatozoa, the annulus is replaced by a fragile segment lacking cortical material, beneath which kinesin-mediated intraflagellar transport stalls. The sterility is rescued by injection of sperm into oocytes, demonstrating that each Sept4 null spermatozoon carries an intact haploid genome. The annulus/septin ring is also disorganized in spermatozoa from a subset of human patients with asthenospermia syndrome. Thus, cortical organization based on circular assembly of the septin cytoskeleton is essential for the structural and mechanical integrity of mammalian spermatozoa. |
