CatSper1 explained

CatSper1, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the CATSPER1 gene.^{[1] [2] [3]} CatSper1 is a member of the cation channels of sperm family of protein. The four proteins in this family together form a Ca²⁺-permeant ion channel specific essential for the correct function of sperm cells.^[4]

Function

Calcium ions play a primary role in the regulation of sperm motility. This gene belongs to a family of putative cation channels that are specific to spermatozoa and localize to the flagellum. The protein family features a single repeat with six membrane-spanning segments and a predicted calcium-selective pore region.^[5]

Further reading

• Li HG, Liao AH, Ding XF . The expression and significance of CATSPER1 in human testis and ejaculated spermatozoa . Asian J. Androl. . 8 . 3 . 301–6 . 2006 . 16625279 . 10.1111/j.1745-7262.2006.00132.x . etal. free .
• Rual JF, Venkatesan K, Hao T . Towards a proteome-scale map of the human protein-protein interaction network . Nature . 437 . 7062 . 1173–8 . 2005 . 16189514 . 10.1038/nature04209 . 2005Natur.437.1173R . 4427026 . etal.
• Zhang D, Chen J, Saraf A . Association of Catsper1 or -2 with Ca(v)3.3 leads to suppression of T-type calcium channel activity . J. Biol. Chem. . 281 . 31 . 22332–41 . 2006 . 16740636 . 10.1074/jbc.M511288200 . etal. free .
• Avenarius MR, Hildebrand MS, Zhang Y . Human Male Infertility Caused by Mutations in the CATSPER1 Channel Protein . Am. J. Hum. Genet. . 84 . 4 . 505–10 . 2009 . 19344877 . 10.1016/j.ajhg.2009.03.004 . 2667975 . etal.
• Garbers DL . Ion channels. Swimming with sperm . Nature . 413 . 6856 . 579, 581–2 . 2001 . 11595929 . 10.1038/35098164 . 2001Natur.413..579G . 6099942 .
• Quill TA, Ren D, Clapham DE, Garbers DL . A voltage-gated ion channel expressed specifically in spermatozoa . Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. . 98 . 22 . 12527–31 . 2001 . 11675491 . 10.1073/pnas.221454998 . 60087 . 2001PNAS...9812527Q . free .
• Clapham DE, Garbers DL . International Union of Pharmacology. L. Nomenclature and structure-function relationships of CatSper and two-pore channels . Pharmacol. Rev. . 57 . 4 . 451–4 . 2005 . 16382101 . 10.1124/pr.57.4.7 . 35096827 .
• Strausberg RL, Feingold EA, Grouse LH . Generation and initial analysis of more than 15,000 full-length human and mouse cDNA sequences . Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. . 99 . 26 . 16899–903 . 2002 . 12477932 . 10.1073/pnas.242603899 . 139241 . 2002PNAS...9916899M . etal. free .
• Nikpoor P, Mowla SJ, Movahedin M . CatSper gene expression in postnatal development of mouse testis and in subfertile men with deficient sperm motility . Hum. Reprod. . 19 . 1 . 124–8 . 2004 . 14688170 . 10.1093/humrep/deh043 . etal.
• Ren D, Navarro B, Perez G . A sperm ion channel required for sperm motility and male fertility . Nature . 413 . 6856 . 603–9 . 2001 . 11595941 . 10.1038/35098027 . 2001Natur.413..603R . 4424815 . etal. 8462998 .

Notes and References

1. Quill TA, Ren D, Clapham DE, Garbers DL . A voltage-gated ion channel expressed specifically in spermatozoa . Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. . 98 . 22 . 12527–31 . October 2001 . 11675491 . 60087 . 10.1073/pnas.221454998 . 2001PNAS...9812527Q . free .
2. Ren D, Navarro B, Perez G, Jackson AC, Hsu S, Shi Q, Tilly JL, Clapham DE . A sperm ion channel required for sperm motility and male fertility . Nature . 413 . 6856 . 603–9 . October 2001 . 11595941 . 10.1038/35098027 . 2001Natur.413..603R . 4424815 . 8462998 .
3. Clapham DE, Garbers DL . International Union of Pharmacology. L. Nomenclature and structure-function relationships of CatSper and two-pore channels . Pharmacol. Rev. . 57 . 4 . 451–4 . December 2005 . 16382101 . 10.1124/pr.57.4.7 . 35096827 .
4. Web site: CatSper and Two-Pore Channels: Introduction . IUPHAR Database of Receptors and Ion Channels . International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology . 2008-12-16 . 2012-09-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120905080216/http://www.iuphar-db.org/IC/FamilyIntroductionForward?familyId=13 . dead .
5. Web site: Entrez Gene: CatSper1 .