title: Stimulation of an exocytotic event, the hamster sperm acrosome reaction, by cis-unsaturated fatty acids.
abstract: The cis-unsaturated fatty acids oleic, arachidonic and cis-vaccenic stimulated the hamster sperm acrosome reaction in vitro (an exocytotic event which occurs in the sperm head and which is essential for fertilization). The trans-isomers of oleic and vaccenic acids did not stimulate the acrosome reaction, nor did the cis-unsaturated fatty acids petroselenic and docosahexaenoic or the saturated fatty acids lauric, myristic or stearic. This is the first report of a stimulatory effect of cis-unsaturated fatty acids on an exocytic event in an intact viable cell.
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated