Steroid induced exocytosis: the human sperm acrosome reaction.
By a combination of organic precipitation and high pressure liquid chromatography, human sperm acrosome reaction inducing activity has been purified from the fluid aspirated from preovulatory human ovarian follicles and identified as 4-pregnen-3,20-dione (progesterone) and 4-pregnen-17 alpha-ol-3,20-dione (17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone). It is argued that progesterone is present at the site of fertilization of placental mammals in concentrations sufficient for activity, and hence provides a mechanism of inducing the acrosome reaction, an exocytotic event, in vivo.
Osman
R A
RA
Department of Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis 95616.
Andria
M L
ML
Jones
A D
AD
Meizel
S
S
D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D000177:Acrosome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000032:analysis; D002474:Cell-Free System; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006801:Humans; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013079:Sperm Maturation / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D011374:Progesterone; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone