NIH R01 · 2025
Molecular Determinants of Zinc Regulation of Mammalian Sperm
Zinc is the most abundant trace metal in the body, and the highest zinc concentrations are found in semen. Human semen is enriched with 1-3 mM zinc, a 100-fold higher concentration than the zinc contents of other parts of the body. Moreover, low seminal zinc has been correlated with male infertility. High concentrations of zinc are also found surrounding newly fertilized eggs. Despite several observations documenting that sperm encounter high concentrations of zinc multiple times between mating and fertilization, how zinc regulates sperm is unknown. The overall objectives of this application are to uncover how zinc alters sperm swimming and establish the mechanism by which zinc homeostasis…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.