STUDIES ON SPERM FERTILIZING ABILITY

总体目标是提供有关生理学的关键信息 精子与卵子包被物(积云)相互作用的生化 卵巢(CO)和透明带(ZP))。具体目标是(1)确定 在受精精子经历顶体反应(AR)的地方 与鸡蛋投资的渗透率有关。这个问题将是 应用显微摄像技术记录精子顶体变化的研究 当它们在体外穿透卵子投资时。(2)澄清 CO和ZP在兴奋中的功能意义及相关作用 受精过程中的AR。这将使用中高度定义的 体外受精程序。(3)表征……的化学性质 配子中的顶体反应诱导因子(ARIF) 在低精卵比下的相互作用，以探索穿透 体外完整一氧化碳；(B)鸡蛋功能作用的研究 支持精子受精能力的投资；(C)调查 ZP区AR-诱导的功能意义 以及(D)对ZP-ARIF的可能增强作用的评估 联合阿里夫。此外，(E)我们能够使精子在 完全化学定义的条件，即在没有 生物活性蛋白，如血清白蛋白，可以混淆 试图检查自然产生的ARIF的来源。 综上所述，这些实验将填补一些基本的空白 介绍关于鸡蛋投资与 精子，特别强调它们在调节精子方面的作用 受精能力。

The overall objective is to provide critical information on the physiology and biochemistry of sperm interactions with the egg investments (cumulus oophorus (CO) and zona pellucida (ZP)). Specific aims are (1) to determine where the fertilizing spermatozoon undergoes the acrosome reaction (AR) in relation to penetration of the egg investments. This question will be studied using video-micrography to record acrosomal changes (AR) in sperm as they penetrate egg investments in vitro. (2) To elucidate the functional significance and relative roles of the CO and ZP in stimulating the AR in fertilizing sperm. This will be done using a highly defined in vitro fertilization procedure. (3) To characterize the chemical nature of the acrosome reaction-inducing factor (ARIF) found in the gamete interactions at low sperm:egg ratios in order to probe the penetration of intact CO in vitro; (b) examination of the functional roles of egg investments in supporting sperm fertilizing ability; (c) investigation of the functional significance for AR-induction of the ZP separately from that of the CO; and (d) evaluation of the possible potentiation of ZP-ARIF by CO-ARIF. In addition, (e) we are able to capacitate spermatozoa under completely chemically-defined conditions, i.e., in the absence of biologically-active proteins such as serum albumin, which can confound attempts to examine naturally-occurring sources of ARIF. Taken together, the experiments will fill in some fundamental gaps in present knowledge about the interactions of the egg investments with spermatozoa, with particular emphasis on their roles in regulating sperm fertilizing ability.