Inhibitory effect of synthetic phospholipid vesicles containing cholesterol on the fertilizing ability of rabbit spermatozoa.
Suspensions of dimyristoyl and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine vesicles bearing 10 to 40 (w/w)% cholesterol inhibited the fertilizing ability of uterine-capacitated rabbit spermatozoa at concentrations of 1 to 10 mg of lipid/ml. Recovery of fertilizing ability by treated sperm cells was observed following insemination into the uterus 5 to 6 hr before ovulation. Vesicles lacking the sterol were not inhibitory under the conditions employed. Suspensions of cholesterol (0.4 to 4 mg of sterol/ml) with out phospholipid, in contrast, inhibited fertilization. Implication of cholesterol in sperm decapacitation by seminal plasma membrane vesicles is discussed in terms of these results.
D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009226:Myristates; D010168:Palmitates; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009226:Myristates; D010168:Palmitates; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D002784:Cholesterol