Calcium ions play a primary role in the regulation of sperm motility. This gene belongs to a family of putative cation channels that are specific to spermatozoa and localize to the flagellum. The protein family features a single repeat with six membrane-spanning segments and a predicted calcium-selective pore region. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]
Forensic Context
A study in mice demonstrated that spinal cord injury (SCI) causes a significant time-dependent reduction in sperm parameters and degenerative testicular histology, with semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis revealing a specific and significant downregulation of the CATSPER1 at 4 and 6 weeks post-injury compared to control groups [Rezaian et al. DOI:10.1038/sc.2008.81].