Morphological studies of spermatozoa during capacitation and in relation to attachment mechmism with zona pellucida.

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

(1) Changes of the plasma membtane of boar spermatozoa durin capacitation : The distribution change of intramembranous particles (IMP) in the periacrosomal plasma membrane (PAPM) of the boar spermatozoa was studied by freeze-fracture, During capacitation, IMP and filipin-sterol-complex free areas expanded. Statistical analysis of the IMP density suggested that small IMPs largely disappeared, while the majority of the large IMPs persisted in the PAPM.These results suggest that the small particles and the filipin reactive sterols act as membrane stavilizers to prevent a precocious acrosome reaction, and have to ve temoved furing capacitation.(2) Distribution of egg recognition and binding protein, sp56, on the mouse spermatozoa : SP56 has stecific affinity for ZP3, one of the three glycoproteins constituting the zona pillucida( Bleil and Wassarman, 1990). In collaboration with the Dr. Bleil's Lab, we demonstrated by immuno-cytochemical study using a confocal microscope that sp56 molecules are localized on the crescent dorsal edge of the ouse spermatozoon, where is well corresponded with the reported ZP3 binding site. In EM level, we debeloped a method it has been demonstrated that the sp56 is absent in the tip of the hooked-shaped mouse sperm-head, and present in the outer surface of the plasma memvrace covering the dorsal edge.