Extracellular Vesicle Dynamics in Sperm Maturation and Function
Summary
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bounded nanoparticles released throughout the male reproductive tract that orchestrate post-testicular sperm development and performance. Originating from the testis, epididymis and accessory glands, these vesicles carry proteins, lipids, RNAs and metabolites that remodel spermatozoal membranes, regulate motility, prevent premature capacitation and promote the acrosome reaction. During epididymal transit, epididymosomes interact with sperm via receptor-mediated tethering and dynamin-dependent cargo transfer, altering the proteome and lipid architecture of the sperm head. In seminal plasma, prostasomes and other EVs further modulate antioxidant defences and facilitate zona-pellucida binding. Vesicular miRNAs and circular RNAs fine-tune gene expression in spermatozoa, influencing fertilisation competence and early embryo development. Emerging metabolomic studies reveal that EV-associated small molecules maintain redox homeostasis and support energy metabolism. Collectively, these dynamic exchanges underpin global fertility and have yielded novel biomarkers for non-invasive diagnosis of male infertility, as well as potential targets for enhancing assisted-reproduction outcomes.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Extracellular Vesicle Dynamics in Sperm Maturation and Function publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in extracellular vesicle dynamics in sperm maturation and function across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Extracellular vesicles: Lipid-encapsulated nanoparticles released by cells to transfer proteins, nucleic acids and metabolites between tissues.
Epididymosome: Extracellular vesicle secreted by epididymal epithelial cells that delivers functional cargo to sperm during epididymal transit.
Capacitation: Biochemical and physiological changes in sperm membranes and motility enabling successful fertilisation.
Acrosome reaction: Exocytotic release of hydrolytic enzymes from the anterior sperm head to penetrate the oocyte coat.
Redox homeostasis: The cellular balance between reactive oxygen species production and antioxidant defence crucial for sperm function.
References
- Spectacular role of epididymis and bio-active cargo of nano-scale exosome in sperm maturation: A review. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (2023).
- The Proteome of Large or Small Extracellular Vesicles in Pig Seminal Plasma Differs, Defining Sources and Biological Functions. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics (2023).
- Untargeted Metabolomic Profiling of Extracellular Vesicles Isolated from Human Seminal Plasma. Biomolecules (2024).
- Mechanisms of tethering and cargo transfer during epididymosome-sperm interactions. BMC Biology (2019).
- Exosome Composition and Seminal Plasma Proteome: A Promising Source of Biomarkers of Male Infertility. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2020).
- Prostasome-like vesicles stimulate acrosome reaction of pig spermatozoa. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology (2008).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.