A review of the role of lectins in animal gametes and embryo development

Abstract

Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins found in most of the plants and in some animals. Sperm glycocalyx modifications are known to occur during capacitation and the acrosome reaction. These changes are very important for gamete recognition and fertilization in mammals but are not fully understood. Moreover, studies on lectin treatment of oocytes have yielded inconsistent effects on fertilization rates, suggesting a complex interplay of mechanisms. Beyond fertilization, the mitogenic properties of lectins are associated with germinal vesicle breakdown and cumulus cell expansion, indicating their involvement in oocyte maturation. Lectins have been also implicated in modulating cell adhesion, cell surface remodeling, and signaling pathways during early embryonic cleavage stages, influencing successful preimplantation embryo development. This article discusses the roof lectins in sperm, oocyte and embryo biology.