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Harvey M Florman PhD

TitleProfessor Emeritus
InstitutionUMass Chan Medical School
DepartmentObstetrics and Gynecology
AddressUMass Chan Medical School
55 Lake Avenue North
Worcester MA 01655
Phone508-856-1675
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    Other Positions
    InstitutionT.H. Chan School of Medicine
    DepartmentObstetrics and Gynecology


    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse education and training
    Rutgers University- New Brunswick, New Brunswick, NJ, United StatesB ABiology
    University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United StatesPH DPhysiology

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    Academic Background



    1972 B.A., Rutgers College

    1982 Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania



    Mechanisms of Fertilization



    Fertilization is the process by which sperm and egg fuse and the program of development is initiated. This is controlled in mammals at two steps: 1) sperm first undergo “capacitation”, a physiological reprogramming that occurs within the female reproductive tract and that is essential for the expression of fertility; and 2) capacitated sperm interact with the egg. Our work has focused on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control these two events. To this end, we apply a range of biophysical (single cell fluorescence imaging, patch clamp electrophysiology), biochemical and molecular techniques.



    Studies of capacitation address the control of sperm signal transduction pathways that lead to fertility. Ion fluxes are important regulators of this process and we have identified key roles of sperm membrane potential and pH. In addition, we recently recognized a role of polycystic kidney disease proteins in capacitation. Ongoing and future studies address the mechanisms by which factors from the female reproductive tract regulate these and other pathways, leading to sperm fertility.



    Sperm-egg interaction begins when sperm contact the egg extracellular matrix (the zona pellucida). ZP3, a protein component of the zona pellucida, activates sperm and triggers a secretory event known as the acrosome reaction. This is an obligatory event in gamete interaction that must be completed if sperm are to fuse with eggs, and disruption of the zona pellucida-evoked acrosome reaction is linked to several types of male infertility. We have worked on the signal transduction cascade that is regulated by ZP3. Specifically, we have focused on the intersecting roles of Ca2+ and Ca2+ channels, of phosphatidylinositol pathways, and protein kinases in the control of the acrosome reaction.



    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.
    Newest   |   Oldest   |   Most Cited   |   Most Discussed   |   Timeline   |   Field Summary   |   Plain Text
    PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Florman H, Kopf GS. A tribute: David Lorn Garbers, PhD (1944-2006). Mol Reprod Dev. 2024 08; 91(8):e23769. PMID: 39175329.
      Citations:    
    2. Florman HM. Male contraception: Are we seeing the end of the beginning? Mol Reprod Dev. 2021 10; 88(10):647-649. PMID: 34462988.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    3. Balbach M, Hamzeh H, Jikeli JF, Brenker C, Schiffer C, Hansen JN, Neugebauer P, Tr?tschel C, Jovine L, Han L, Florman HM, Kaupp UB, Str?nker T, Wachten D. Molecular Mechanism Underlying the Action of Zona-pellucida Glycoproteins on Mouse Sperm. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020; 8:572735. PMID: 32984353.
      Citations:    
    4. Florman HM. 101 on: How we understand polyspermy functions and defenses after E.E. Just's 1919 study. Mol Reprod Dev. 2020 03; 87(3):323-325. PMID: 32080925.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    5. Jungnickel MK, Sutton KA, Baker MA, Cohen MG, Sanderson MJ, Florman HM. The flagellar protein Enkurin is required for mouse sperm motility and for transport through the female reproductive tract. Biol Reprod. 2018 10 01; 99(4):789-797. PMID: 29733335.
      Citations: 12     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    6. Florman HM. A transition at Molecular Reproduction and Development. Mol Reprod Dev. 2018 01; 85(1):1. PMID: 29266626.
      Citations:    Fields:    
    7. Sigg MA, Menchen T, Lee C, Johnson J, Jungnickel MK, Choksi SP, Garcia G, Busengdal H, Dougherty GW, Pennekamp P, Werner C, Rentzsch F, Florman HM, Krogan N, Wallingford JB, Omran H, Reiter JF. Evolutionary Proteomics Uncovers Ancient Associations of Cilia with Signaling Pathways. Dev Cell. 2017 12 18; 43(6):744-762.e11. PMID: 29257953.
      Citations: 46     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    8. Florman H, Latham K, Prather R, Williams C, Wolfner M. Thanks! Mol Reprod Dev. 2017 12; 84(12):1233. PMID: 29314476.
      Citations:    Fields:    
    9. Florman H, Gerton G, Kopf G, Visconti P. The 3 Ws of Bayard T. Storey - Wisdom, wine, and wit. Mol Reprod Dev. 2017 11; 84(11):1113. PMID: 29144577.
      Citations:    Fields:    
    10. Florman HM. Min Chueh Chang, In Context. Mol Reprod Dev. 2016 10; 83(10):843-845. PMID: 27780303.
      Citations: 1     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    11. Florman HM, Cao W, Jungnickel MK, Sutton KA, Tsai PS. Coup d'oeil of sperm. Mol Reprod Dev. 2012 May; 79(5):Fm i. PMID: 22508555.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    12. Sutton KA, Jungnickel MK, Jovine L, Florman HM. Evolution of the voltage sensor domain of the voltage-sensitive phosphoinositide phosphatase VSP/TPTE suggests a role as a proton channel in eutherian mammals. Mol Biol Evol. 2012 Sep; 29(9):2147-55. PMID: 22396523.
      Citations: 15     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    13. Williams C, Florman H, Yanagamachi R. On the shoulders of giants: Robert G. Edwards, Nobel Laureate. Mol Reprod Dev. 2010 Dec; 77(12). PMID: 21182112.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    14. Kan MC, Oruganty-Das A, Cooper-Morgan A, Jin G, Swanger SA, Bassell GJ, Florman H, van Leyen K, Richter JD. CPEB4 is a cell survival protein retained in the nucleus upon ischemia or endoplasmic reticulum calcium depletion. Mol Cell Biol. 2010 Dec; 30(24):5658-71. PMID: 20937770.
      Citations: 25     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    15. Visconti PE, Florman HM. Mechanisms of sperm-egg interactions: between sugars and broken bonds. Sci Signal. 2010 Oct 05; 3(142):pe35. PMID: 20923932.
      Citations: 11     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    16. Florman HM, Jungnickel MK, Sutton KA. Shedding light on sperm pHertility. Cell. 2010 Feb 05; 140(3):310-2. PMID: 20144756.
      Citations: 15     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    17. Sutton KA, Jungnickel MK, Florman HM. A polycystin-1 controls postcopulatory reproductive selection in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Jun 24; 105(25):8661-6. PMID: 18562295.
      Citations: 38     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    18. Florman HM, Jungnickel MK, Sutton KA. Regulating the acrosome reaction. Int J Dev Biol. 2008; 52(5-6):503-10. PMID: 18649263.
      Citations: 48     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    19. Florman HM, Jungnickel MK, Sutton KA. What can we learn about fertilization from cystic fibrosis? Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Jul 03; 104(27):11123-4. PMID: 17595298.
      Citations: 4     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    20. Jungnickel MK, Sutton KA, Wang Y, Florman HM. Phosphoinositide-dependent pathways in mouse sperm are regulated by egg ZP3 and drive the acrosome reaction. Dev Biol. 2007 Apr 01; 304(1):116-26. PMID: 17258189.
      Citations: 22     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    21. Sutton KA, Jungnickel MK, Ward CJ, Harris PC, Florman HM. Functional characterization of PKDREJ, a male germ cell-restricted polycystin. J Cell Physiol. 2006 Nov; 209(2):493-500. PMID: 16883570.
      Citations: 20     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    22. Sutton KA, Jungnickel MK, Wang Y, Cullen K, Lambert S, Florman HM. Enkurin is a novel calmodulin and TRPC channel binding protein in sperm. Dev Biol. 2004 Oct 15; 274(2):426-35. PMID: 15385169.
      Citations: 33     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    23. Galantino-Homer HL, Florman HM, Storey BT, Dobrinski I, Kopf GS. Bovine sperm capacitation: assessment of phosphodiesterase activity and intracellular alkalinization on capacitation-associated protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Mol Reprod Dev. 2004 Apr; 67(4):487-500. PMID: 14991741.
      Citations: 22     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    24. Sutton KA, Jungnickel MK, Florman HM. Of fertility, cystic fibrosis and the bicarbonate ion. Nat Cell Biol. 2003 Oct; 5(10):857-9. PMID: 14523397.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    25. Jungnickel MK, Sutton KA, Florman HM. In the beginning: lessons from fertilization in mice and worms. Cell. 2003 Aug 22; 114(4):401-4. PMID: 12941269.
      Citations: 6     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    26. Kirkman-Brown JC, Sutton KA, Florman HM. How to attract a sperm. Nat Cell Biol. 2003 Feb; 5(2):93-6. PMID: 12563269.
      Citations: 6     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    27. Evans JP, Florman HM. The state of the union: the cell biology of fertilization. Nat Cell Biol. 2002 Oct; 4 Suppl:s57-63. PMID: 12479616.
      Citations: 28     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    28. Sutton KA, Jungnickel MK, Florman HM. If music be the food of love... Nat Cell Biol. 2002 Jun; 4(6):E154-5. PMID: 12042831.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
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