Structure and Function of Reproductive Fluid Proteins

9816747lacy鱼的成功受精和可存活后代的产生是由许多因素决定的。重要的是将大量高活力、可存活的精子转移到雌鱼或沉积在水中的卵上。本研究的目的是研究一种软骨鱼液体中的结构和功能蛋白，这些蛋白可以增加精子的活力并放松这些鱼类的子宫平滑肌。具体目标是：1)表征鱼类子宫平滑肌对雄性生殖液中新纯化的“raylaxin”分子的松弛反应，并分离和表征其在子宫细胞细胞膜中的受体。2)鉴定和表征交配时鱼精子分泌的液体中的精子刺激分子。分析化学技术和显微镜将用于实现这些目标。这些研究的结果应在渔业管理方面有实际应用，并有助于了解基本的生殖生物学机制。

9816747LacySuccessful fertilization and production of viable offspring in fish is determined by a number of factors. Important is the transfer of large numbers of highly motile, viable sperm to the female fish or to the eggs deposited into the water. The objectives of the present proposal are to investigate the structure and function proteins in fluids of a cartilaginous fish species which increase sperm motility and relax these fish's uterine smooth muscle. Specific goals are to: 1) Characterize the relaxation response of the fish uterine smooth muscle to the newly purified "raylaxin" molecule in male reproductive fluids and to isolate and characterize its receptor in the cell membrane of the uterine cells. 2) Identify and characterize the sperm stimulatory molecules in the fluids secreted over the fish sperm at the time of mating. Analytical chemistry techniques and microscopy will be used to achieve these goals. The results of these studies should have practical application in fisheries' management as well as contribute to the knowledge of basic biological mechanisms of reproduction.