title: VAMP/synaptobrevin as an acrosomal marker for human sperm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the possible use of the mammalian acrosomal marker vehicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP)/synaptobrevin to detect acrosome abnormalities in human sperm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of human sperm after fixation and staining with an anti-VAMP antibody.
  
  
  METHODS
  An academic research institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen samples from consenting patients who were participating in an infertility treatment program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human sperm samples were fixed, permeabilized with detergent, and examined by immunocytochemistry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunostaining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Observation of sperm from patients with no obvious sperm morphological defects revealed normal looking acrosomes, as assessed by VAMP immunostaining. However, severe acrosome malformations were detected in other cases. The observations registered varied from the absence of a fully formed organelle in samples of patients with globozoospermia to abnormal VAMP staining in samples from patients with acrosomal defects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VAMP/synaptobrevin may be a useful marker for the functional assessment of acrosomal status in human sperm.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health Sciences University, Beaverton , Oregon, USA. jramalho2ci.uc.pt
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramalho-Santos
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schatten
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins