Induction of the acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa by human zona pellucida and effect of cervical mucus on zona-induced acrosome reaction.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the induction of the acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa by the zona pellucida (ZP), cumulus oophorus, and cervical mucus (CM), and to examine the effect of cumulus oophorus and CM on the zona-induced acrosome reaction. DESIGN, PATIENTS, MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The acrosome status of spermatozoa from healthy donors that were cultured with salt-stored human ZP, cumulus oophorus, and/or cervical mucus was assessed using fluoresceinated pisum sativum agglutinin.


RESULTS
The acrosome reaction rate after sperm attachment to the zona for 6 hours was 35.7% +/- 17.7%, which was higher than controls (2.8% +/- 1.9%). The acrosome reaction was not observed after passage through cumulus oophorus or CM; however, the acrosome reaction rate of spermatozoa passed through CM after the attachment to zona was 51.6% +/- 6.8%, a higher value in comparison with spermatozoa that had not passed through CM (25.6% +/- 9.4%).


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that human ZP are capable of inducing the acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa; however, cumulus oophorus and CM are unable to do so. The data further provide evidence that CM promotes the zona-induced acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fukushima Medical College, Japan.
K
K
Hoshi
T
T
Sugano
C
C
Endo
N
N
Yoshimatsu
K
K
Yanagida
A
A
Sato
D000177:Acrosome / Q000502:physiology*; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology*; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology*