Abstract
The zona pellucida (ZP) plays an important role in oocyte development, gamete recognition, prevention of polyspermy, and protection of early embryos prior to implantation. The mouse zona pellucida is composed of three glycoproteins, ZP1, ZP2, and ZP3. Female mice lacking ZP1 are fertile with decreased fecundity. Secreted ZP1 (571 amino acids) contains a zona domain for oligomerization and a trefoil domain of unknown function. We hypothesize that the trefoil domain contributes to the structural integrity of the normal mouse zona pellucida and that zonae pellucidae lacking this domain may be more porous and vulnerable to polyspermy.
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