This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jones, K. T Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jones, K. T

Mammalian egg activation: from Ca²⁺ spiking to cell cycle progression

Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, The Medical School, Framlington Place, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NE2 4HH, UK

Correspondence should be addressed to K T Jones; Email: k.t.jones{at}newcastle.ac.uk

Mammalian eggs arrest at metaphase of the second meiotic division (MetII). Sperm break this arrest by inducing a series of Ca²⁺ spikes that last for several hours. During this time cell cycle resumption is induced, sister chromatids undergo anaphase and the second polar body is extruded. This is followed by decondensation of the chromatin and the formation of pronuclei. Ca²⁺ spiking is both the necessary and solely sufficient sperm signal to induce full egg activation. How MetII arrest is established, how the Ca²⁺ spiking is induced and how the signal is transduced into cell cycle resumption are the topics of this review. Although the roles of most components of the signal transduction pathway remain to be fully investigated, here I present a model in which a sperm-specific phospholipase C (PLC) generates Ca²⁺ spikes to activate calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and so switch on the Anaphase-Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C). APC/C activation leads to securin and cyclin B1 degradation and in so doing allows sister chromatids to be segregated and to decondense.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. E. Holt and K. T. Jones Control of homologous chromosome division in the mammalian oocyte Mol. Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2009; 15(3): 139 - 147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Grasa, K. Coward, C. Young, and J. Parrington The pattern of localization of the putative oocyte activation factor, phospholipase C{zeta}, in uncapacitated, capacitated, and ionophore-treated human spermatozoa Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2008; 23(11): 2513 - 2522. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S.-L. Wang, K.-Q. Fan, X. Yang, Z.-X. Lin, X.-P. Xu, and K.-Q. Yang CabC, an EF-Hand Calcium-Binding Protein, Is Involved in Ca2+-Mediated Regulation of Spore Germination and Aerial Hypha Formation in Streptomyces coelicolor J. Bacteriol., June 1, 2008; 190(11): 4061 - 4068. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Tsaadon, R. Kaplan-Kraicer, and R. Shalgi Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate, but not Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, is the mediator in cortical granules exocytosis Reproduction, May 1, 2008; 135(5): 613 - 624. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Segers, T. Adriaenssens, W. Coucke, R. Cortvrindt, and J. Smitz Timing of Nuclear Maturation and Postovulatory Aging in Oocytes of In Vitro-Grown Mouse Follicles with or Without Oil Overlay Biol Reprod, May 1, 2008; 78(5): 859 - 868. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. R. S. Roldan Better intracytoplasmic sperm injection without sperm membranes and acrosome PNAS, November 21, 2006; 103(47): 17585 - 17586. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Madgwick, D. V. Hansen, M. Levasseur, P. K. Jackson, and K. T. Jones Mouse Emi2 is required to enter meiosis II by reestablishing cyclin B1 during interkinesis J. Cell Biol., September 11, 2006; 174(6): 791 - 801. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]