Induction of the acrosome reaction in goat spermatozoa in simple physiological salt solution.
The present study was carried out to determine whether K+, Mg2+, PO4(3-), and HCO3- in a medium are necessary for inducing the acrosome reaction in ejaculated goat spermatozoa. Washed goat spermatozoa were resuspended in K-1 medium, containing NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, MgCl2, NaH2PO4, and NaHCO3; in K-2 medium, containing NaCl, CaCl2, NaH2PO4, and NaHCO3; in K-3 medium, containing NaCl, CaCl2, and NaHCO3; and in K-4 medium, containing only NaCl and CaCl2, followed by preincubation in a sealed glass tube at 39.5 degrees C for 1, 2, or 3 h. The sperm acrosome reaction was evaluated by the trypan blue-Giemsa method and hamster test. The results were essentially the same in all cases. Following preincubation for 1 h, however, the percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa, the proportion of zona-free hamster eggs penetrated by spermatozoa, and the average number of spermatozoa in the vitellus of these penetrated eggs were low; all values indicated a significant increase with preincubation for 2 and 3 h. The presence of K+, Mg2+, PO4(3-), and HCO3- in the medium thus does not appear necessary for inducing the acrosome reaction in goat spermatozoa, since they can undergo the reaction during preincubation in a simple physiological salt solution containing only NaCl and CaCl2 when preincubated in sealed glass tubes at 39.5 degrees C.
Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kobe University, Japan.
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Kusunoki
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Kato
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Kanda
D000177:Acrosome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003470:Culture Media; D006041:Goats / Q000502:physiology*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D001639:Bicarbonates; D003470:Culture Media; D010710:Phosphates; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium