Intracellular activation of ovastacin mediates pre-fertilization hardening of the zona pellucida.

ABSTRACT:

Study question

How and where is pro-ovastacin activated and how does active ovastacin regulate zona pellucida hardening (ZPH) and successful fertilization?

Study finding

Ovastacin is partially active before exocytosis and pre-hardens the zona pellucida (ZP) before fertilization.

What is known already

The metalloproteinase ovastacin is stored in cortical granules, it cleaves zona pellucida protein 2 (ZP2) upon fertilization and thereby destroys the ZP sperm ligand and triggers ZPH. Female mice deficient in the extracellular circulating ovastacin-inhibitor fetuin-B are infertile due to pre-mature ZPH.

Study design, samples/materials, methods

We isolated oocytes from wild-type and ovastacin-deficient (Astlnull) FVB mice before and after fertilization (in vitro and

SUBMITTER: Korschgen H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5909858 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature