1)北京师范大学生命科学学院,细胞增殖与调控生物学教育部重点实验室,北京 100875;2)阜阳师范大学生物与食品工程学院,阜阳 236037;3)中国科学院生物物理研究所,中国科学院生物大分子卓越研究中心,RNA生物学重点实验室,北京 100101;4)中国科学院大学生命科学学院,北京 100049
国家重点研发计划(2023YFA1801100)和国家自然科学基金(32270774)资助项目。
1)MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China;2)College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang 236037, China;3)Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;4)College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
This work was supported by grants from National Key Research and Development Plan Program of China (2023YFA1801100) and The National Natural Science Foundation of China (32270774).
线粒体在秀丽线虫精子发生和激活中的功能至关重要,既提供ATP以支持细胞分裂和分化,也在锌离子稳态、质膜动态变化等方面发挥核心作用。本综述系统梳理了线粒体在精子发育各阶段的关键机制。线粒体通过调控细胞凋亡的关键执行蛋白维持生殖腺的健康和稳定,并为细胞有丝分裂、减数分裂和分化提供能量,不断适应生殖腺各个阶段的能量需求。在早期精子发生过程中通过调控H+和Zn2+的交换,确保精子功能的正常发育。在精子激活过程中,线粒体一方面继续发挥关键作用,提供能量促进伪足形成、膜性细胞器(MOs)融合以及离子通道调节,另一方面通过排出线粒体囊的形式控制健康线粒体的数量,使精子细胞转变为具备运动和受精能力的成熟精子。近年来的研究还揭示,线粒体核糖体可能在精子发生与激活过程中合成特定蛋白质,挑战了传统认为精子不合成新蛋白质的观点。综上所述,线粒体不仅是精子能量供给的核心,还在细胞信号转导、精子激活及生殖成功率等方面发挥重要调控作用,为进一步理解生殖细胞代谢调控提供了新视角。
Mitochondria play a pivotal role in spermatogenesis and sperm activation in Caenorhabditis elegans, serving as the primary ATP supplier for cell division and differentiation while also acting as a key regulator of zinc ion homeostasis, membrane dynamics, and apoptotic signaling. This review systematically summarizes the essential mitochondrial mechanisms at different stages of sperm development, highlighting their multifaceted contributions beyond energy metabolism. Mitochondria are crucial for maintaining the health and stability of the gonads by regulating key apoptotic execution proteins that facilitate the proper elimination of damaged or unnecessary germ cells. Additionally, mitochondria dynamically adjust their energy supply to meet the metabolic demands of different stages of germline development. During early spermatogenesis, mitochondria provide ATP to fuel mitotic and meiotic divisions, support cellular differentiation, and regulate H+ and Zn2+ exchange to maintain cytoplasmic homeostasis, thereby ensuring the proper maturation and functionality of sperm cells. As spermatogenesis progresses, mitochondria participate in processing and sorting essential sperm proteins, such as major sperm protein (MSP), and contribute to the formation of membranous organelles (MOs), which are critical for subsequent activation events. During sperm activation, mitochondria play a dual role in ensuring a successful transition from immotile spermatids to fully functional spermatozoa. First, they provide ATP to facilitate pseudopod formation, MO fusion, and ion channel regulation, all of which are essential for sperm motility and fertilization potential. Second, mitochondria regulate the quality and quantity of functional mitochondria within sperm cells through mitopherogenesis—a recently discovered process in which mitochondrial vesicles are selectively released, ensuring that only healthy mitochondria are retained. This quality-control mechanism optimizes mitochondrial function, which is crucial for sustaining sperm motility and longevity. Beyond their traditional role in energy metabolism, mitochondria may also contribute to protein synthesis during spermatogenesis and activation. Recent evidence suggests that mitochondrial ribosomes actively translate specific proteins required for sperm function, challenging the long-standing belief that spermatozoa do not engage in de novo protein synthesis after differentiation. This emerging perspective raises important questions about the role of mitochondria in regulating sperm activation at the molecular level, particularly in modulating oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) protein composition to optimize ATP production. In summary, mitochondria serve as both the central energy hub and a crucial regulatory factor in sperm activation, metabolic homeostasis, and reproductive success. Their involvement extends beyond ATP generation to include apoptotic regulation, ion homeostasis, vesicle-mediated mitochondrial quality control, and potential contributions to protein synthesis. Understanding these mitochondrial functions in C. elegans not only deepens our knowledge of nematode reproductive biology, but also provides valuable insights into broader mechanisms governing mitochondrial regulation in germline cells across species. These findings open new avenues for future research into the interplay between mitochondria, energy metabolism, and sperm function, with potential implications for reproductive health and fertility studies.
常占鑫,苗龙,王鹏.线虫精子发生与激活中的线粒体功能与调控[J].生物化学与生物物理进展,2025,52(7):1661-1672
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