Variation in the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio in human spermatozoa and its relationship with capacitation.
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.
Hoshi
K
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fukushima Medical College, Japan.
Aita
T
T
Yanagida
K
K
Yoshimatsu
N
N
Sato
A
A
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*
D010743:Phospholipids; D002784:Cholesterol