Studies on Diversity and Universality in Sperm Activation and Chemotaxis at Fertilization

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Sperm activating substance derived from human follicular fluid was partially purified, but chemical structure of it is still obscure. The role of semenogelin and zinc ions for the initiation of human sperm motility was investigated and the obtained results were publishing in the international scientific journal "Human Reproduction". Purification and identification of molecular structure of sperm activating peptides were tried in newt. Furthermore, the interesting results that newt derived sperm activating peptide also activates sperm of salamander and primitive toad were obtained by collaboration work with Italian scientists. Immuno-histochemical analysis showed that the sperm activating peptides from newt, salamander and toad are similar immunological properties. Collaboration works with American scientists showed that calucium ions has an important role in the cell signaling mechanism for sperm activation in newt. In regards with species specificity in sperm activation and chemotaxis in ascidians, there was clear species specificity between genus. Furthermore, Purification processes of sperm activating and attracting factors were successfully proceeded in the two ascidian species, Phallusia mamillata and Ascidia sydneiensis. Sperm activating substance from jelly layer of sea cucumber eggs was partially purified, and it was identified that the substance will be small peptide. Physiological analyses on the-mechanism of the initiation of sperm motility in starfish have clearly shown that a zinc binding enzyme, carbonic anhydrase regulates intracellular pH by controlling C0_2/HCO_3 for triggering the phenomenon. We finally tried to investigate the outline of cell signaling for sperm activation and chemotaxis in brown algae using software for sperm motility analysis, Boh Boh.