Channel name | CatSper1 |
Description | Putative voltage-gated cation-selective ion channel subunit |
Other names | CatSper1 |
Molecular information | Human unigene: Hs0.189105: AF407333; chr. 11q12.1 |
Mouse unigene: Mm0.87321: AF407332; mouse chr. 19 A | |
Associated subunits | None reported |
Functional assays | Calcium imaging, patch-clamp of sperm cells2 |
Current | Ca2+-selective, voltage-dependent; potentiated at pH 82 |
Conductance | Not established |
Ion selectivity | Ca2+-selective2 |
Activation | Voltage-gated, increasing pH shifts activation voltage to more hyperpolarized potentials2 |
Inactivation | Not established |
Activators | Increased pH2 |
Gating inhibitors | Not established |
Blockers | Not established |
Radioligands | None |
Channel distribution | Mature sperm cells |
Physiological functions | CatSper1 is essential for the hyperactivation of sperm motility, which is required for sperm cell fertility |
Mutations and pathophysiology | Not established |
Pharmacological significance | Not established |
chr., chromosome.
↵1. Ren D, Navarro B, Perez G, Jackson AC, Hsu S, Shi Q, Tilly JL, and Clapham DE (2001) A sperm ion channel required for sperm motility and male fertility. Nature (Lond) 413:603-609
↵2. Kirichok Y, Navarro B, and Clapham DE (2006) Whole-cell patch clamp measurements of spermatazoa reveal an alkaline-activated Ca2+ channel. Nature (Lond.), in press