title: Variation in the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio in human spermatozoa and its relationship with capacitation.
abstract: The cholesterol/phospholipid (C/PL) ratio was determined for spermatozoa from eight men with normal semen parameters. There was a close correlation between the C/PL ratio and the rate of sperm capacitation as assessed by the hamster egg penetration test. A lower C/PL ratio correlated with a faster capacitation time. This supports the notion that the loss or reduction of membrane cholesterol constitutes an important step of capacitation in human spermatozoa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fukushima Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoshi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanagida
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshimatsu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis*; D012661:Semen / Q000032:analysis; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010743:Phospholipids; D002784:Cholesterol