HUMAN SPERM-ZONA PELLUCIDA INTERACTIONS

哺乳动物受精过程中精卵相互作用的一个重要部位 发生在透明质酸（ZP）的表面。 ZP是一个 成熟哺乳动物卵母细胞特异性的细胞外基质。 精子必须 首先附着并穿透ZP，然后实际受精。 蛋 精子-ZP识别的特异性受体被认为存在于 每个配子 人类精子-ZP相互作用将通过检查进行研究 特定的精子和ZP分子直接参与 精子识别和结合。 兔多克隆抗体将 针对人类精子抗原而产生，这些抗原先前已被证明 对ZP有亲和力 这些抗体将用于定位 用荧光显微镜观察精子膜上的精子抗原。 抗原在精子膜上的定位将提供信息 这些抗原的区域化。 抗体也将被用于 以检测它们是否能抑制精子与精子的相互作用， 体外 对人ZP的平行研究将涉及电泳和 ZP分子的凝集素结合特性。 单克隆抗体 (MAB)将针对溶解的人ZP产生，并针对 包含ZP的单个分子，以获得特异于 每个ZP组件。 MAB将用于检查其能力， 干扰精子-ZP结合，并定位人类精子上的区域 其结合特定的ZP组分。 抗ZP抗体和 抗精子抗体与精子和其他哺乳动物物种的ZP将被 检查以确定是否涉及精子ZP的特定分子 识别在物种中是普遍的。 天然存在的抗精子和 抗ZP抗体已显示干扰受精。 的 所涉及的特定分子的鉴定和表征， 因此，不仅可以帮助诊断，还可以避孕 潜力也。

In mammalian fertilization, one important site of sperm-egg interaction occurs on the surface of the zona pellucida (ZP). The ZP is an extracellular matrix specific to mature mammalian oocytes. Sperm must first attach to and penetrate the ZP prior to actual fertilization of the egg. Specific receptors for sperm-ZP recognition are believed to reside on each gamete. Human sperm-ZP interactions will be studied by an examination of the specific sperm and ZP molecules that are directly involved in sperm-zona recognition and binding. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies will be raised against human sperm antigens which have previously been shown to have affinity for the ZP. These antibodies will be used to localize the sperm antigens on the sperm membrane by epifluorescent microscopy. Localization of the antigens on the sperm membrane will provide information on the regionalization of these antigens. The antibodies will also be used to examine whether or not they can inhibit sperm-zona interaction in vitro. Parallel studies on the human ZP will involve electrophoretic and lectin binding characteristics of the ZP molecules. Monoclonal antibodies (MAB) will be produced against solubilized human ZP and screened against the individual molecules that comprise the ZP to obtain MAB's specific for each ZP component. The MAB's will be used to examine their ability to interfere with sperm-ZP binding, and to localize regions on the human sperm which bind specific ZP components. The cross-reactivity of antiZP and anti-sperm antibodies with sperm and ZP of other mammalian species will be examined to determine if the specific molecules involved in sperm-ZP recognition are common among species. Naturally occurring anti-sperm and anti-ZP antibodies have been shown to interfere with fertilization. The identification and characterization of the specific molecules involved, therefore, may not only aid in the diagnosis of also have contraceptive potential as well.