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Hereditas(Beijing) ›› 2021, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (11): 1038-1049.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.21-206

• Orginal Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Role and mechanism of intraflagellar transport in mammalian spermiogenesis

Tingting Ge(), Lu Yuan, Wenhua Xu, Ying Zheng()   

  1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-coding RNA Research, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
  • Received:2021-06-10 Revised:2021-08-29 Online:2021-11-20 Published:2021-10-14
  • Contact: Zheng Ying E-mail:1499356709@qq.com;yzzkl@163.com
  • Supported by:
    Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China No(82071696);Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province No(20KJA310002);the Postgraduate Scientific Research Innovation Program of Yangzhou University No(XKYCX20_35)

Abstract:

Eukaryotic cilia and flagella are evolutionarily conserved organelles that protrude from the cell surface. The unique location and properties of cilia allow them to function in vital processes such as motility and signaling. Ciliary assembly and maintenance rely on intraflagellar transport (IFT). Bidirectional movement of IFT particles composed of IFT-A and IFT-B complexes is powered by kinesin-2 and dynein-2 motors. IFT delivers building blocks between their site of synthesis in the cell body and the ciliary assembly site at the tip of the cilium. The integrity of the flagellum, a specialized organelle of mammalian sperm to generate the motility, is critical for normal sperm function. Recent findings suggest that IFT is indispensable for sperm flagellum formation and male fertility in mice and human. In this review, we summarize the role and mechanisms of IFT proteins during enflagellation in spermiogenesis, thereby discussing the pathological mechanisms of male infertility and providing theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.

Key words: intraflagellar transport, spermiogenesis, male infertility