Zinc sparks induce physiochemical changes in the egg zona pellucida that prevent polyspermy.

ABSTRACT: During fertilization or chemically-induced egg activation, the mouse egg releases billions of zinc atoms in brief bursts known as 'zinc sparks.' The zona pellucida (ZP), a glycoprotein matrix surrounding the egg, is the first structure zinc ions encounter as they diffuse away from the plasma membrane. Following fertilization, the ZP undergoes changes described as 'hardening', which prevent multiple sperm from fertilizing the egg and thereby establish a block to polyspermy. A major event in zona hardening is cleavage of ZP2 proteins by ovastacin; however, the overall physiochemical changes contributing to zona hardening are not well understood. Using X-ray fluorescence microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and biological function assays, we tested the hypothesis that zi

SUBMITTER: Que EL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5439353 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature