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A Comparative Overview of Mammalian Fertilization pp 51–62Cite as

A Comparison of Mammalian Sperm Membranes

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Abstract

Mammalian spermatozoa exhibit considerable species differences in their size and shape, yet they all possess the same set of cellular organelles assembled on a common architectural theme. The polarized spermatozoon is partitioned into distinct segments or domains, distinguished by specific subsets of the cellular organelles (Eddy, 1988; Fawcett, 1975). These include the acrosomal and postacrosomal segments of the head, followed by the connecting piece, midpiece, principal piece, and end piece segments of the flagellum. During fertilization, different segments perform specific functions in generating motility, in binding the zona pellucida, in penetrating the egg coats, and in fusing with the egg plasma membrane (Wassarman, 1987; Yanagimachi, 1988). The sperm plasma membrane plays a central role in regulating these functions, and it varies in structure and molecular composition in the different domains. In this chapter we discuss domain-specific properties of the plasma membrane and address mechanisms that may maintain their unique properties.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, USA

    Gary E. Olson & Virginia P. Winfrey

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  1. Gary E. Olson
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  2. Virginia P. Winfrey
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  1. Department of Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 77030, Houston, Texas, USA

    Bonnie S. Dunbar

  2. Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

    Michael G. O’Rand

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Olson, G.E., Winfrey, V.P. (1991). A Comparison of Mammalian Sperm Membranes. In: Dunbar, B.S., O’Rand, M.G. (eds) A Comparative Overview of Mammalian Fertilization. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-8982-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-8982-9_3

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