三疣梭子蟹精卵相互作用的扫描电镜观察

应用扫描电镜技术观察了三疣梭子蟹的精卵相互作用。未受精成熟卵表面较光滑、无受精孔,但有许多微孔。成熟卵外被卵膜,内为卵母细胞。在卵自然产出后,精子迅速发生顶体反应使顶体囊外翻并压入卵膜,而核仍留于卵膜外,核辐射臂不收缩且仍附着于卵膜上。三疣梭子蟹为多精着卵和多精入卵膜。精子外翻顶体囊压入卵膜后,核辐射臂陆续回缩直至消失。作用于顶体丝上的卵母细胞主动拖精作用对入卵膜精子的进一步入卵、受精至关重要,环状卵膜突起的向心伸展也有一定的协助作用。探讨了着卵精子的顶体反应、精子入卵膜的机制及卵子在精子入卵过程中的作用     

中华绒螯蟹的受精生物学（一）

中华绒螯蟹的精子无尾部,不能运动;其成熟卵为初级卵母细胞,无受精孔,精子可在卵的任何部位穿入卵内,精子入卵主要借顶体反应。虽多精着卵,但仅数精入卵,且单精受精。     

TELEOGRYLUS EMMA精子体外顶体反应的超微结构比较研究

采用相同种类卵水诱导的方法对直翅目,蟋蟀科,黄脸油葫芦的受精囊精子的顶体反应过程进行系统观察.发现黄脸油葫芦精子顶体反应可划分为3个阶段,第1阶段,精子质膜膨胀、断裂或丢失;第2阶段,顶体复合体的顶体外层与顶体本体外膜发生融合,囊泡化;第3阶段,顶体复合体大部分脱落,只留有短锥状的顶体位于核前端.据观察,蟋蟀精子质膜不参与囊泡形成,此结果与家蝇及哺乳类的猪、牛、绵羊、猕猴精子的顶体反应结果很相似.经过比较发现卵水对受精囊内精子的诱导率明显高于精巢内,据分析,可能与精子的生理成熟有关,即便受精囊内精子比精巢内精子更趋于成熟.与其他学者的实验结果相比,蟋蟀精子顶体反应率与家蝇的相似,但明显低于其他动物.这可能与动物的授精方式有关.     

牛体外受精的程序及超微结构研究

牛体外成熟卵母细胞体外受精后３小时精子入卵,８小时原核形成,２４小时的核多到卵中央。精子发生顶体反应的部位主要在透明表面,方式是顶体外膜自身囊经,发生顶体反应的粗子可斜向或垂直穿过透明带。卵丘细胞可吞噬大量精子,在阻多精受精中发挥重要作用。高尔基得合体,线料体、环状片层和滑面内质网等在原核周围形成细胞器集团。牛体外受精卵的雌雄原结合比体内受精的要延迟,胞吐到卵周隙中的皮质颗粒内容物扩散不完全。     

哺乳动物受精过程中精子和透明带的初级及次级结合

在哺乳动物的受精过程中,获能的精子穿过卵丘细胞层到达卵子透明带后,精子头部便结合在透明带的表面上.精子和透明带的结合可以分为初级结合和次级结合两个阶段,初级结合是指二者在顶体反应之前的结合,次级结合是指二者在顶体反应之后的结合.精子和透明带的结合是精子顶体反应和精子入卵的先决条件,是哺乳动物受精过程中非常重要的环节,涉及到精子以及透明带的多种蛋白质分子之间的相互作用.这方面的研究工作主要是以小鼠为实验对象进行的,在其他哺乳动物中也有很多报道.本文将主要以小鼠为例,概述哺乳动物受精过程中精子和透明带结合的分子机制,并兼述在二者的结合过程中透明带糖蛋白ZP3对精子顶体反应的诱导作用.     

中华鲟授精过程扫描电镜观察

在扫描电镜下观察到:中华鲟的成熟卵具有一层放射膜,两层卵黄膜;卵的动物极端有9—15个受精孔,受精孔直径约为12.7—13.9μm;精子由伞状顶体、棍棒状头部、漏斗状中段及扁平细长的尾部组成;各受精孔都能接纳多个精子;卵受精5秒后,精子才开始入卵,且精子入卵速度各不相同。受精时间持续较长,可由5秒延长至5分钟;卵受梢后,受精管道内除缠绕成团的精子尾部外,未发现其他堵塞物。     

十足目受精生物学研究概述

由于十足目精子的特殊结构———无鞭毛、不运动、核呈凝絮状、顶体结构复杂,且受精过程迅速,特别是精卵识别、顶体反应,常常在瞬间发生,加上卵子富含卵黄而不易制片,使其受精生物学研究与其它精子具鞭毛的动物相比报道较少。本文就十足目受精生物学的研究做一简要的...     

透明带的精子受体在ZP3的O—糖链上

哺乳动物的受精过程主要包括几个步骤 ,精子与卵子相遇后 ,精子结合到卵透明带上 ,引起精子的顶体反应 ,随后精子穿透透明带与卵细胞融合受精。精卵结合具有种属特异性 ,这种特异性结合是由精子表面的特异蛋白和卵透明带糖蛋白通过受体配体模式进行的。但是 ,卵透明带上的什么物质与精子识别和结合呢 ?近 30年来 ,这一领域的研究很活跃 ,也取得了很大的进展。1 .小鼠透明带糖蛋白ＺＰ3作为精子受体透明带是卵细胞膜外的一层特殊的非细胞结构 ,是精子与卵细胞识别和结合的部位。小鼠和其它研究过的哺乳类的透明带都是由少数几种糖蛋白组成 ,…     

革胡子鲶受精过程的扫描电镜观察

应用扫描电镜观察和描述了革胡子鲶成熟卵和精子的形态、卵壳膜的表面结构和形态、受精孔的位置和结构、精子入卵过程的程序和变化。讨论了精子入卵过程及精孔细胞在解体之后可能转变为一种能够吸引精子在精孔区聚集的“受精素”物质等问题。     

精子获能及其发展

获能是哺乳动物精子受精前必须经历的一个成熟过程,它所需时间因种而导,并具有非均一怀和可逆性,获能涉及精子质膜去获能因子（ＤＦ）的去除和膜组分的重新分布,包括膜脂成分的改变,蛋白迁移,受体暴露,钙通道激活,胞内ｃＡＭＰ产生和蛋白酪氨酸磷酸化等,获能的终点是发生顶体反应（ＡＲ）并呈现超激活运动（ＨＡＭ）受精取决于上述变化,并可用金霉素染色法,ＡＲ,ＨＡＭ和穿卵率定量检测获能。     

INDUCTION OF THE ACROSOME REACTION ON THE EGG SURFACE OF DE-JELLIED SEA URCHIN EGGS BEFORE AND AFTER FERTILIZATION*

The capacity of the surface of sea urchin eggs to induce the acrosome reaction was assayed by estimating the rate of acrosome reaction of supernumerary spermatozoa in the presence of variously treated eggs before and after fertilization. DTT-disruption of the vitelline coat did not eliminate the acrosome reaction-inducing capacity. This capacity was retained after fertilization in eggs of both H. pulcherrimus and A. crassispina. The acrosome reaction-inducing capacity of the eggs was markedly decreased by treatment with trypsin. The low capacity of the trypsin-treated eggs was maintained after fertilization in H. pulcherrimus, but in A. crassispina the capacity returned to the pre-trypsin treatment level after fertilization. Fertilized eggs from which the fertilization membrane was mechanically removed retained the inducing capacity to a considerable extent, independent of the presence or absence of the hyaline layer, but the capacity diminished rapidly as cleavage proceeded. It was concluded from these data that the acrosome reaction of spermatozoa actually occurred at the surface of de-jellied eggs and that the inducing substance resides in the plasma membrane in addition to the fertilization membrane. A chemical difference between the inducing substance of egg surface and jelly substance is discussed.     

The crystal structure of a fusagenic sperm protein reveals extreme surface properties

Sp18 is an 18 kDa protein that is released from abalone sperm during the acrosome reaction. It coats the acrosomal process where it is thought to mediate fusion between sperm and egg cell membranes. Sp18 is evolutionarily related to lysin, a 16 kDa abalone sperm protein that dissolves the vitelline envelope surrounding the egg. The two proteins were generated by gene duplication followed by rapid divergence by positive selection. Here, we present the crystal structure of green abalone sp18 resolved to 1.86 A. Sp18 is composed of a bundle of five alpha-helices with surface clusters of basic and hydrophobic residues, giving it a large dipole moment and making it extremely amphipathic. The large clusters of hydrophobic surface residues and domains of high positive electrostatic surface charge explain sp18's ability as a potent fusagen of liposomes. The overall fold of sp18 is similar to that of green abalone lysin; however, the surface features of the proteins are quite different, accounting for their different roles in fertilization. This is the first crystal structure of a protein implicated in sperm-egg fusion during animal fertilization.     

ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES OF EARLY STAGES OF SPERM PENETRATION IN HYDROIDES HEXAGONUS (ANNELIDA) AND SACCOGLOSSUS KOWALEVSKII (ENTEROPNEUSTA)

1. The early events of sperm entry in Saccoglossus and Hydroides are described and examined in relation to present knowledge of the acrosome reaction and of egg membrane lysins. In Saccoglossus and several other species these events occur in two phases. First. The acrosome filament of the spermatozoön spans the egg membrane barriers, reaches the reactive egg protoplasm, and causes the egg to begin its fertilization reaction. Second. The filament and its connected sperm head move through the egg membrane barriers and enter the egg proper. The first phase is completed in a matter of seconds but the second phase usually requires several minutes. 2. The peripheral areas of the eggs of the two species differ as seen in sections. In Hydroides, but not in Saccoglossus, the vitelline membrane is bounded by a distinct outer border layer of small concentrically differentiated bodies and penetrated by microvilli from the egg. 3. The acrosome filament, seen in the living condition as a delicate thread in Hydroides and as an exceedingly tenuous thread in Saccoglossus, appears to be tubular in both species when seen in electron micrographs of thin sections. 4. The acrosomal region of Hydroides appears to consist of two components—a peripheral one, which may collapse during the acrosome reaction, and a central one related to the acrosome filament. 5. Deliberately induced polyspermic material was used to increase the probability of finding examples of sperm penetration in thin sections. 6. As seen in sections, areas of low electron density, interpreted as spaces or pits from which the material of the membrane is absent, surround the attached or penetrating spermatozoa. (a) In Hydroides the spaces vary greatly in many characteristics including shape, position in the membrane, and size with relation to the enclosed sperm head. In one specimen a portion of the membrane is missing from border to border; no spermatozoön is seen but immediately beneath the space is the apex of a fertilization cone. (b) In every case in which a determination could be made, the spermatozoön in the membrane has undergone its acrosome reaction. (c) In Saccoglossus some pits are found with which several spermatozoa are associated. Generally, where the spermatozoa are more numerous the pit is larger. (d) Pits similar to those seen in Saccoglossus sections are observed in living eggs. They remain in Membrane I after sperm entry. (e) From the above and other considerations it is suggested that the pits and spaces are formed by local action of a lysin or lysins emanating from the individual spermatozoön at the site of sperm entry. 7. It is considered that the suggested lysin would participate in sperm entry by eroding the membrane barrier in the vicinity of the sperm head, thus permitting the sperm head to pass through the membrane. Since the acrosome filament much earlier stimulates the egg's initial fertilization response, this lysin would facilitate the second phase of the early events of sperm entry.     

Fertilization in a crab: I. Early events in the ovary,and cytological aspects of the acrosome reaction and gamete contacts

Early events in fertilization were studied in Carcinus maenas by in vitro experiments and ultrastructural analysis; some were found to occur in the lumen of ripe ovaries. The acrosome reaction generally conformed to the usual Reptantia Decapoda pattern. However, a prominent membrane system continuous with the nuclear envelope and located close to the base of the acrosome tubule characterized the type of spermatozoon observed in Carcinus maenas. Such complex anatomical connections linking the three parts of the reacted spermatozoon (acrosome tubule, membrane system and nucleus envelope) may be significant in relation to the membrane system's contribution to the acrosome reaction. The outer layer of the everted acrosomal vesicle was found to comprise tubular elements ending in bell-shaped corpuscles, deeply interdigitated with the oolemma microvilli during the establishment of the initial contacts between the reacted spermatozoon and the egg plasma membrane. At the site of contact, the oolemma formed a minute fertilization cone, locally depressed by the acrosome tubule. During these early fertilization events, the nucleus, like the other spermatozoon components, was seen to penetrate the egg coatings first, and later to be located near the oolemma.     

Evidence for involvement of metalloendoproteases in a step in sea urchin gamete fusion

Membrane fusion events are required in three steps in sea urchin fertilization: the acrosome reaction in sperm, fusion of the plasma membrane of acrosome-reacted sperm with the plasma membrane of the egg, and exocytosis of the contents of the egg cortical granules. We recently reported the involvement of a Zn2+-dependent metalloendoprotease in the acrosome reaction (Farach, H. C., D. I. Mundy, W. J. Strittmatter, and W. J. Lennarz. 1987. J. Biol. Chem. 262:5483-5487). In the current study, we investigated the possible involvement of metalloendoproteases in the two other fusion events of fertilization. The use of inhibitors of metalloendoproteases provided evidence that at least one of the fusion events subsequent to the acrosome reaction requires such enzymes. These inhibitors did not block the binding of sperm to egg or the process of cortical granule exocytosis. However, sperm-egg fusion, assayed by the ability of the bound sperm to establish cytoplasmic continuity with the egg, was inhibited by metalloendoprotease substrate. Thus, in addition to the acrosome reaction, an event in the gamete fusion process requires a metalloendoprotease.     

Aggregation of beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase on mouse sperm induces the acrosome reaction

beta-1,4-Galactosyltransferase (GalTase) is present on the surface of mouse sperm, where it functions during fertilization by binding to oligosaccharide residues in the egg zona pellucida. The specific oligosaccharide substrates for sperm GalTase reside on the glycoprotein ZP3, which possesses both sperm-binding and acrosome reaction-inducing activity. A variety of reagents that perturb sperm GalTase activity inhibit sperm binding to the zona pellucida, including UDP-galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, alpha-lactalbumin, and anti-GalTase Fab fragments. However, none of these reagents are able to cross-link GalTase within the membrane nor are they able to induce the acrosome reaction. On the other hand, intact anti-GalTase IgG blocks sperm-zona binding as well as induces the acrosome reaction. Anti-GalTase IgG induces the acrosome reaction by aggregating GalTase on the sperm plasma membrane, as shown by the inability of anti-Gal-Tase Fab fragments to induce the acrosome reaction unless cross-linked with goat anti-rabbit IgG. These data suggest that zona pellucida oligosaccharides induce the acrosome reaction by clustering GalTase on the sperm surface.     

Changing localizations of site-specific sperm surface antigens during sea urchin fertilization

Indirect immunofluorescence studies show that monoclonal antibody (mAb) J18/2 binds site-specifically to surface antigens localized over the acrosome and tail regions of mature Strongylocentrotus purpuratus spermatozoa. Within 5 min after induction of the acrosome reaction by exposure to egg jelly or ionophore A23187, these surface antigens become detectable over the lateral region of the head so that the entire surface of the spermatozoon is labeled. Polyspermically fertilized S. purpuratus eggs fixed at varying times after insemination and exposed to mAb J18/2 reveal that these surface antigens are quickly incorporated into the egg plasma membrane and begin to disperse as early as 1.5 min after insemination. At subsequent times, they undergo further dispersal so that by 45 min they are distributed over the entire surface of the egg. These results suggest that the sperm surface components recognized by mAb J18/2 gain the ability to disperse laterally during the acrosome reaction and proceed to do so in the egg plasma membrane after fertilization.     

Reduction of the fertilizing capacity of sea urchin sperm by cannabinoids derived from marihuana. II. Ultrastructural changes associated with inhibition of the acrosome reaction.

Pretreatment of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sperm with delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) prevents the triggering of the acrosome reaction by egg jelly. Examination of THC-treated sperm by transmission electron microscopy reveals that the membrane fusion reaction between the sperm plasma membrane and the acrosomal membrane is completely blocked. Electron-dense deposits are present in the subacrosomal fossa and in the centriolar fossa. The nuclear envelope is fragmented in close proximity to the electron-dense deposits. The electron-dense deposits are not bound by a limiting membrane, stain positively for lipid with thymol and farnesol, and disappear from THC-treated sperm that are extracted with chloroform:methanol (2:1) after glutaraldehyde fixation. The electron-dense deposits are lipid in nature and may be a hydrolytic product of the nuclear envelope. Electron-dense deposits are seen in sperm after 1-10 min treatment with 5-100 microM THC. The electron-dense deposits disappear after removal of THC from the sperm by washing, but the fragmented nuclear envelope in the subacrosomal fossa persists. Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN) also inhibit the triggering of the acrosome reaction by egg jelly and produce ultrastructural changes in the sperm identical to those elicited by THC. Enhanced phospholipase activity stimulated by THC, CBD, and CBN may be the cause of the accumulation of lipid deposits in the sperm. Metabolites derived from this modification of membrane phospholipids may prevent triggering of the acrosome reaction by egg jelly and thereby inhibit fertilization.     

Identification of a secondary sperm receptor in the mouse egg zona pellucida: role in maintenance of binding of acrosome-reacted sperm to eggs

During fertilization in mice, acrosome-intact sperm bind via plasma membrane overlying their head to a glycoprotein, called ZP3, present in the egg extracellular coat or zona pellucida. Bound sperm then undergo the acrosome reaction, which results in exposure of inner acrosomal membrane, penetrate through the zona pellucida, and fuse with egg plasma membrane. Thus, in the normal course of events, acrosome-reacted sperm must remain bound to eggs, despite loss of plasma membrane from the anterior region of the head and exposure of inner acrosomal membrane. Here, we examined maintenance of binding of sperm to the zona pellucida following the acrosome reaction. We found that polyclonal antisera and monoclonal antibodies directed against ZP2, another zona pellucida glycoprotein, did not affect initial binding of sperm to eggs, but inhibited maintenance of binding of sperm that had undergone the acrosome reaction on the zona pellucida. On the other hand, polyclonal antisera and monoclonal antibodies directed against ZP3 did not affect either initial binding of acrosome-intact sperm to eggs or maintenance of binding following the acrosome reaction. We also found that soybean trypsin inhibitor, a protein reported to prevent binding of mouse sperm to eggs, did not affect initial binding of sperm to eggs, but, like antibodies directed against ZP2, inhibited maintenance of binding of sperm that had undergone the acrosome reaction on the zona pellucida. These and other observations suggest that ZP2 serves as a secondary receptor for sperm during the fertilization process in mice and that maintenance of binding of acrosome-reacted sperm to eggs may involve a sperm, trypsin-like proteinase.     

Fine Structural Changes in the Acrosome Reaction of the Japanese Abalone, Haliotis disus

The spermatozoon of the Japanese abalone, Haliotis discus , and its structural changes during the acrosome reaction were observed by electron microscopy. The spermatozoon has a huge acrosome in the shape of a hanging bell or a forefinger with a deep fossa at the posterior end being filled with a bundle of microfilaments. The membranes of the acrosomal apex, the so-called trigger region, are structurally discernible from those of other acrosomal regions. Following the trigger region, a unique structure under the acrosomal membrane covers the surface of the acrosomal content in the form of a truncated cone.
The acrosome reaction occurs in the jelly layer very close to the egg envelope. First, the membranes at the apex of the acrosome are vesiculated, followed by the formation of a narrow gap between the outer acrosomal membrane and the acrosomal content. Next, the bundle of micro-filaments elongates, running through the center of the acrosome, reaching the trigger region and protruding out of the acrosomal top. Then release of the acrosomal content occurs in two steps, disclosing the "membrane undercoating structure" that comprises globular particles with a fuzzy material connecting them. This resembles the undercoat network found in erythrocytes.