title: Erythropoietin receptor-like immunostaining on human spermatozoa.
abstract: This study aimed to demonstrate the presence of erythropoietin (EPO) receptor on spermatozoa. Whole ejaculates of four healthy volunteers were incubated with polyclonal rabbit anti-EPO receptor and subsequently stained with a Cy-3 labelled secondary antibody. Four slides per subject were analysed, no staining was observed in slides incubated with either primary or secondary antibody alone. EPO receptor staining was positive in 92±8% of EPO pre-treated and 91±4% of non-treated sperm cells. The results suggest that spermatozoa express EPO receptor on plasma membrane, which might act to protect these cells from damage after ejaculation.
authors.affiliation: Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. niyazitug@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Niyazi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tug
authors.forename: Ulkan
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.forename: Ates
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karateke
authors.forename: Bayram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Milas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ugur
authors.forename: Ertugrul
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kilic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D017467:Receptors, Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017467:Receptors, Erythropoietin; D004921:Erythropoietin