Removal of sperm-coat from human spermatozoa by interaction with cervical mucus or a capacitating medium.
Human spermatozoa were labelled with cationized ferritin and their interaction with cervical mucus or a capacitating medium enriched with 3% bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the sperm-coat was removed from the surface of spermatozoa after incubation in the BSA-enriched capacitating medium, as well as after crossing a column filled with cervical mucus. These results suggest that both media have a quantitatively similar action in removing the sperm-coat.
Rosselli
M
M
Andrology Laboratory, La Carita Hospital, Locarno, Switzerland.
Marchini
M
M
Soldati
G
G
Campana
A
A
Balerna
M
M
D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000502:physiology*; D003470:Culture Media; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D013075:Sperm Capacitation; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D003470:Culture Media; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D005293:Ferritins