Progesterone induces human sperm chemotaxis.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the molecular nature of the chemotactic signal for sperm contained in human follicular fluid (FF).


METHODS
Follicular fluid was fractionated and several procedures were followed to the physicochemical initial characterization of sperm chemotactic compound(s).


METHODS
Relative chemotactic activity of each fraction was measured in a double chamber device.


RESULTS
Sperm chemotaxis was found to be associated with a lipid-like molecule extracted from FF. Several steroids were assayed individually and only P showed sperm chemotactic properties in dose-response curves.


CONCLUSIONS
In this paper we present experimental evidence to support the hypothesis that P, the main steroid component of FF, is a mediator of sperm chemoattraction in human beings.
Villanueva-Díaz
C
C
Departamento de Fisiología de la Reproducción, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
Arias-Martínez
J
J
Bermejo-Martínez
L
L
Vadillo-Ortega
F
F
D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002633:Chemotaxis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D011374:Progesterone