DEMO Laboratory

1. We study the participation of small GTPases of the RHO superfamily in the signaling pathway that leads to actin polymerization during mouse sperm capacitation. Actin dynamics play a central role in controlling the process of exocytosis in somatic cells as well as in sperm from several mammalian species. In somatic cells, small GTPases of the RHO superfamily are widely known as master regulators of actin dynamics, however its role in sperm has not been studied yet. El proceso de exocitosis en células somáticas y en espermatozoides de distintas especies es controlado por cambios en la dinámica de actina. Las pequeñas GTPasas son reguladores maestros de la dinámica de actina en células somáticas, sin embargo su función en espermatozoides de ratón no ha sido estudiada aun.

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3. Capacitation is a complex process of multiple steps that includes plasma membrane reorganization, ion permeability regulation and cholesterol loss among other things. The transport of ion across the membrane and its association with phosphorylation signaling pathways has not been widely studied in human sperm. In this context we study two aspects of this process:

a) The role of CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator), a Cl- and HCO3- transporter and how it affects signal transduction networks associated with capacitation in human sperm. In particular the regulation of two key features of the capacitation process, changes in pH levels and changes in the membrane potential (hyperpolarization).

c) The molecular mechanisms associated with the inhibitory effect of decapacitation factors that are present in the seminal plasma.