Ion Transporter-Based Biomarkers for Sperm Quality
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: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 31
Special Issue Editor
Interests: ion transporters; sperm quality; fertility; sperm capacitation; preimplantational embryo
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Ion imbalance is essential for motility activation during ejaculation, chemotaxis towards the oocyte, and fertilization, as well as for sperm adaptation to the surrounding medium and even for cryotolerance. The presence of calcium (Ca2+) and bicarbonate (HCO3−) transporters in the plasma membrane of mature sperm has been extensively reported, despite potassium (K+), sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl−), and hydrogen (H+) transporters also being relevant in sperm physiology. In mammals, the nature and content of ion transporters is species-specific, and so is their localization in the sperm plasma membrane, ion affinity, and regulation mechanisms. Ion transporters are also essential for male fertility in nonmammal species, but studies are seldom conducted on this topic.
Anomalies in the distribution, content, and/or activity of ion channels can impair male fertility. In mammals, the partial or total blockage or the absence or mutation of specific ion transporters has been related with an impaired sperm capacitation and reduced fertilization ability. Some ion transporter alterations result in defective sperm motility, whereas other alterations are silent since they do not manifest as associated with anomalies in the parameters of sperm quality. Against this background, the identification of ion transporters that can be used as biomarkers of sperm quality will contribute to our understanding of sperm physiology and fertilization ability.
Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Pinart
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- ion transporters
- sperm quality
- cryotolerance
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