Effect of cholinergic agents on human spermatozoa motility.
The effect of various cholinergic agents on human spermatozoa motility was studied. Both direct-acting (e.g., acetylcholine, pilocarpine) and indirect-acting (e.g., physostigmine) cholinergic agonists stimulated human spermatozoa motility. All the cholinergic antagonists (e.g., atropine, hyoscine, hexamethonium, d-tubocurarine, and succinylcholine) inhibited the spermatozoa motility. At 1 X 10(-4) M, muscarinic antagonists, atropine and hyoscine, did not influence motility, whereas nicotinic antagonists, hexamethonium, d-tubocurarine and succinylcholine, depressed motility. These observations suggest that a nicotinic-type receptor is present in spermatozoa. However, these studies did not exclude the possibility of the presence of a muscarinic receptor in spermatozoa.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, South Dakota State University, Brookings 57007.
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Dwivedi
N J
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Long
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010277:Parasympathomimetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012617:Sea Urchins; D013045:Species Specificity; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*
D010277:Parasympathomimetics