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Capacité des spermatozoïdes à se fixer sur la zone pellucide

Sperm-Zona pellucida interactions

Resume

Le spermatozoïde après sa libération de l’épithélium séminifère subit dans l’épididyme une série de modifications fonctionnelles et métaboliques lui conférant la capacité d’assurer la fécondation. La fécondation est le processus essentiel de la reproduction sexuée, elle permet d’initier la formation d’un nouvel être par la fusion de deux cellules germinales: le gamète mâle (spermatozoïde) et le gamète femelle (ovocyte).

Pour que la fécondation ait lieu, il faut que les spermatozoïdes reconnaissent la zone pellucide (ZP), s’y fixent, qu’ils la pénètrent et qu’il y ait fusion avec la membrane plasmique de l’ovocyte.

L’affinité des spermatozoïdes à reconnaître et à se fixer sur la zone pellucide (ZP) apparaît au cours du transit dans l’épididyme, et elle est parallèle à l’acquisition du pouvoir fécondant, et contrôlée par les androgènes

Deux modalités d’interactions entre les spermatozoïdes et la ZP ont pu être observées: a) chez la plupart des mammifères, la fixation des spermatozoïdes n’a lieu que si la membrane plasmique est intacte, il en est de même chez l’homme, b) chez le hamster, la fixation du spermatozoïde sur la ZP ne peut s’effectuer qu’après la réaction acrosomique.

Abstract

After liberation from the seminiferous epithelium, the spermatozoa (SPZ), undergo in the epididymis a serie of functional and metabolic modifications resulting the capacity to ensure fertilization. Fertilization is the fundamental process in sexual reproduction as it permits the initiation and the formation of a new being by the fusion of two germinal cells: the male gamete (spermatozoa) and the female gamete (oocyte). For fertilization to occur the SPZ must recognize the zona pellucida (ZP), bind to it, penetrate it and fuse with the oocyte plasma membrane.

Sperm binding to the ZP is an early, crucial event leading to fertilization and pre-embryo development. In mammals, sperm-ZP binding follows a serie of steps that occur in a well-defined chronological order: a) A loose association between SPZ and ZP referred to as «attachment». This shortlived interaction is heterospecific. b) Attachment is followed by a more distinct and persistent association of SPZ with ZP, thus called «binding». This sperm-zona interaction is species-specific, irreversible and mediated by complementary receptors present on the SPZ head and the ZP. c) The bound SPZ then undergoes the acrosome reaction (AR). Which involves fusion and vesiculation of the SPZ outer acrosomal membrane and plasma membrane leading to the release of acrosomal contents and the exposure of the inner acrosomal membrane. This AR is essential for SPZ passage through the ZP and to access to the oocyte plasma membrane where gamete fusion occurs.

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Hamamah, S., Jean, M., Royère, D. et al. Capacité des spermatozoïdes à se fixer sur la zone pellucide. Androl. 5, 361–368 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03034341

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