The acroframosome-acroplaxome-manchette axis may function in sperm head shaping and male fertility. 2018

Ya-Lan Wei, and Wan-Xi Yang
The Sperm Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.

Sperm malformation is one of the main reasons for male infertility, but the precise mechanisms of this process remain undiscovered. The major process of spermiogenesis is sperm head shaping. Cytoskeleton is a crucial unit in this process, as the acroplaxome and manchette are two kinds of momentous structures cooperated with various functional proteins to insure the formation of acrosome and nucleus. One is primarily formed by filamentous actin (F-actin) and responsible for transverse acrosome extension and concentration, another plays as the mainstay of nuclear deformation through circular arrangement of microtubules (MTs). We suspect that the acroplaxome alone cannot maintain such a spatial framework of the acrosome. Previous studies have also revealed that a nucleus without acrosome could not induce the formation of ectoplasmic specialization. In this review, we integrated most of the key proteins that have been proven to participate in the essential developmental steps of post-meiosis. We also propose that the ambient MTs of the acrosome might be emanated from the Golgi apparatus. They form a novel cytoskeleton termed acroframosome (AFS) to transport vesicles and proteins during acrosome biogenesis. The hypothesis of the acroframosome-acroplaxome-manchette (AAM) cytoskeletal system is likely to be the axis of head-to-tail spermiogenesis.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008870 Microtubules Slender, cylindrical filaments found in the cytoskeleton of plant and animal cells. They are composed of the protein TUBULIN and are influenced by TUBULIN MODULATORS. Microtubule
D002467 Cell Nucleus Within a eukaryotic cell, a membrane-limited body which contains chromosomes and one or more nucleoli (CELL NUCLEOLUS). The nuclear membrane consists of a double unit-type membrane which is perforated by a number of pores; the outermost membrane is continuous with the ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM. A cell may contain more than one nucleus. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed) Cell Nuclei,Nuclei, Cell,Nucleus, Cell
D005298 Fertility The capacity to conceive or to induce conception. It may refer to either the male or female. Fecundity,Below Replacement Fertility,Differential Fertility,Fecundability,Fertility Determinants,Fertility Incentives,Fertility Preferences,Fertility, Below Replacement,Marital Fertility,Natural Fertility,Subfecundity,World Fertility Survey,Determinant, Fertility,Determinants, Fertility,Fertility Determinant,Fertility Incentive,Fertility Preference,Fertility Survey, World,Fertility Surveys, World,Fertility, Differential,Fertility, Marital,Fertility, Natural,Preference, Fertility,Preferences, Fertility,Survey, World Fertility,Surveys, World Fertility,World Fertility Surveys
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000199 Actins Filamentous proteins that are the main constituent of the thin filaments of muscle fibers. The filaments (known also as filamentous or F-actin) can be dissociated into their globular subunits; each subunit is composed of a single polypeptide 375 amino acids long. This is known as globular or G-actin. In conjunction with MYOSINS, actin is responsible for the contraction and relaxation of muscle. F-Actin,G-Actin,Actin,Isoactin,N-Actin,alpha-Actin,alpha-Isoactin,beta-Actin,gamma-Actin,F Actin,G Actin,N Actin,alpha Actin,alpha Isoactin,beta Actin,gamma Actin
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013077 Sperm Head The anterior portion of the spermatozoon (SPERMATOZOA) that contains mainly the nucleus with highly compact CHROMATIN material. Head, Sperm,Heads, Sperm,Sperm Heads

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