Study for the evaluation method for mammalian sperm oocyte-activation ability with perinuclear theca and centrosome-related molecules as indicator

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K10638
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Urology
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: ITO Chizuru 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 講師 (80347054)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 年森 清隆 千葉大学, 未来医療教育研究センター, 特任教授 (20094097)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MUTOH Tohru 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 技術専門職員 (30422265)
• Research Collaborator: YOGO Keiichiro 静岡大学, 大学院総合科学技術研究科, 准教授 ; HISHIKAWA Yoshiko 国立国際医療研究センター, 研究所, 研究員
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 精子 / 受精 / 卵子活性化 / 男性不妊症 / エクアトリン / Odf2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Equatorin (Eqtn) is an acrosomal membrane protein that forms a complex with perinuclear substances of spermatozoon. To clarify the role of perinuclear substance-related molecules in oocyte activation, we generated and analyzed Eqtn-deficient mice. The results suggested that Eqtn was involved not only in the sperm-egg membrane adherence independent of Izumo1 and Cd9 but also in embryonic development including oocyte activation. We analyzed the difference of Eqtn localization in sperm of fertile volunteers and male infertile patients to evaluate the validity of anti-Eqtn antibodies for the quality of sperm. We generated Odf2-4-mCherry transgenic mouse line and started to analyze the function of Odf2 isoforms comparing with Odf2-deficient mice and Odf2-2a-EGFP transgenic mice that were generated previously.

Free Research Field

生殖生物医学