Re-evaluation of the role of spermatozoa as inducers of protein synthesis by the rabbit endometrium.
The effect of spermatozoa as inducers of protein synthesis by the rabbit endometrium was studied. The presence of spermatozoa increased the leucine incorporation into proteins from 15.6 +/- 1.8 to 44.8 +/- 4.3 dpm X 10(-3)/mg DNA after 2 hr of incubation. There was no difference in the amount of incorporated leucine induced by live or by dead spermatozoa. Latex particles also induced an increase on protein synthesis (24 +/- 3.1 dpm X 10(-3)/mg DNA). These results seem to indicate that this increase in protein synthesis was nonspecific. The number of contaminant cells was always significantly greater in the recovered incubation medium after incubation with highly metabolically active sperm than with dead cells (230 +/- 85 and 86 +/- 33 X 10(-3) cells respectively). This leukocytic effect was smaller than that found in In vivo systems and may play a significant role on the proposed activity of sperm cells on the endometrium.
D000818:Animals; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011817:Rabbits; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
D011506:Proteins; D007930:Leucine