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Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Sperm Development, Maturation, and Fertilization (3rd...
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Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Sperm Development, Maturation, and Fertilization (3rd Edition)

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 2369

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jan Tesarik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MARGen Clinic, Molecular Assisted Reproducion and Genetics, 18006 Granada, Spain
Interests: human infertility; assisted reproduction; endocrinology; diagnosis; treatment; embryo developmental potential; sperm quality; oocyte quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The complex process of sperm development and maturation involves multiple interconnected steps that begin in the testis and result in fertility acquisition inside the male genital tract as well as the female genital tract. The sperm then must cope with the active immune system and particular tract homeostasis. A special segment, the sperm reservoir, stores the sperm cells until they are released and move toward the fertilization site.

This Special Issue aims to cover the crucial molecular events and mechanisms in sperm development. The scope includes research on sperm cell physiology and components in the seminal plasma and/or in the female, allowing for the realization of the full fertilization of sperm, including extracellular vesicles. Thus, in vitro and in vitro studies aiming at unraveling new molecular determinants of acquiring the full functionality of sperm are welcome.

Dr. Jan Tesarik
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sperm physiology
  • seminal plasma
  • extracellular vesicles
  • reproduction
  • spermatogenesis
  • capacitation
  • fertility

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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17 pages, 3413 KiB  
Article
Alpha4 Na,K-ATPase Localization and Expression Are Dynamic Aspects of Spermatogenesis and in Sperm Incubated Under Capacitating Conditions
by David Milewski and Paul F. James
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(5), 1817; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26051817 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 394
Abstract
Utilizing high-resolution microscopy in conjunction with a new antibody highly specific for rat alpha4 Na,K-ATPase, we describe changes in alpha4 expression during spermatogenesis and in sperm incubated under capacitating and noncapacitating conditions. Immunohistochemical analyses showed alpha4 expression at low levels in spermatogonia and [...] Read more.
Utilizing high-resolution microscopy in conjunction with a new antibody highly specific for rat alpha4 Na,K-ATPase, we describe changes in alpha4 expression during spermatogenesis and in sperm incubated under capacitating and noncapacitating conditions. Immunohistochemical analyses showed alpha4 expression at low levels in spermatogonia and in pachytene spermatocytes. Alpha4 then becomes highly expressed on round spermatids and the midpiece of elongated spermatozoa within the seminiferous tubules. In noncapacitating conditions, alpha4 was confined mainly to the flagellum of mature sperm; however, under capacitating conditions, sperm acquired intense alpha4 staining along the acrosomal region of the sperm head. To visualize the precise localization of alpha4 in the sperm head, we performed an ultrastructural analysis using immuno-scanning electron microscopy. Under capacitating conditions, sperm exhibited alpha4 staining along the dorsal surface of the sperm head associated with the acrosome. In addition, after 4 h of incubation in motility buffer, we observed an increase in alpha4 protein in sperm that could be blocked with chloramphenicol, a mitochondrial-type ribosome inhibitor. These findings demonstrate that both the localization and expression level of alpha4 Na,K-ATPase are dynamic aspects of sperm maturation and suggest that sperm motility and capacitation may be supported by these changes to the location and amount of this protein. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Sperm Development, Maturation, and Fertilization (3rd Edition))
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Review

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23 pages, 1309 KiB  
Review
Lifestyle and Environmental Factors Affecting Male Fertility, Individual Predisposition, Prevention, and Intervention
by Jan Tesarik
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(6), 2797; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26062797 - 20 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1365
Abstract
Current lifestyles bring about an increasing prevalence of unhealthy habits that can negatively affect male fertility. Cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, stress, inadequate physical activity, an unequilibrated diet leading to obesity, and use of mobile telephones and portable electronic devices can affect the male [...] Read more.
Current lifestyles bring about an increasing prevalence of unhealthy habits that can negatively affect male fertility. Cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, stress, inadequate physical activity, an unequilibrated diet leading to obesity, and use of mobile telephones and portable electronic devices can affect the male reproductive system through multiple mechanisms. Moreover, the modern man is often exposed to environmental factors independent of his will, such as air pollution, exposure to heat or toxicants in his workplace, or the presence of harmful chemicals in food, beverages, agricultural and industrial products, etc. The susceptibility to these factors depends on genetic and epigenetic predisposition, potentially present systemic disease and medication, and local affections of the genitourinary system. The multifaceted nature of both the causative factors and the susceptibility background makes the resulting fertility disturbance highly individual and variable among different men exposed to the same conditions. This paper critically reviews the current knowledge of different causative and susceptibility factors with a special attention to the molecular mechanisms of their action. Finally, strategies for the prevention of abnormalities due to lifestyle and environmental factors and available treatment modalities for already-present abnormalities are exposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Sperm Development, Maturation, and Fertilization (3rd Edition))
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