小鼠和豚鼠精子在附睾成熟过程中Ca~(2 )分布变化规律的研究

小鼠附睾头精子,其头部Ca~(2 )在顶体前区顶体外膜内侧结合最多,Ca~(2 )沉淀反应颗粒于该处呈连续层状。附睾头豚鼠精子其头部结合Ca~(2 )含量很少,且主要结合于顶体前区腹面顶体外膜内侧。小鼠附睾体和附睾尾精子Ca~(2 )的分布特征基本上和附睾头精子相同。但豚鼠附睾尾精子顶体外膜内侧无Ca~(2 )结合。和附睾头、附睾尾的附睾液相比,附睾体附睾液基质内具有大量Ca~(2 )存在。附睾体柱状上皮细胞的微绒毛切面上也具有Ca~(2 )沉淀反应颗粒,微绒毛可能与附睾液Ca~(2 )含量的调节有关。精子尾部Ca~(2 )主要分布于线粒体内,在质膜内、外两侧和线粒体外膜外侧也结合有少量的Ca~(2 )。和小鼠精子相比,豚鼠精子尾部线粒体内具有大量的Ca~(2 )。     

低温逆境中黄瓜幼苗细胞内钙离子水平变化的细胞化学研究

采用改进的焦锑酸钙沉淀的细胞化学方法,探讨了Ｃａ＾２＋在黄瓜幼苗细胞中超微结构定位分布及在低温逆境条件下Ｃａ＾２＋水平的动态。结果表明：在适宜温度下生长的黄瓜幼苗,其细胞中Ｃａ＾２＋主要定位于液泡及细胞间隙内,说明液泡是植物细胞内的主要钙库,并显示质外体中存在大量的Ｃａ＾２＋分布。当黄瓜幼苗在１℃下冷胁迫２８ｈ后,质膜内侧钙沉淀颗粒明显增加,同时观察到液泡内Ｃａ＾２＋分布变得比较集中,并趋向于液泡     

Tssk1和Tssk2的克隆、表达及其在成熟精子中的分布与亚细胞定位

睾丸特异性丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶(Testis-SpecificSerine/Threonine Kinases,TSSKs)可能在精子发生和(或)精子功能调节中起着重要作用,该文研究克隆并表达了小鼠Tssk1和Tssk2基因,纯化得到了Tssk1和Tssk2蛋白激酶,经Western blotting分析,Tssk1和Tssk2皆存在于小鼠和人的成熟精子中。免疫组化的结果显示,Tssk1分布于小鼠的头部(顶体)及整个尾部,Tssk2主要分布在小鼠精子头部顶体后的区域;获能前后的小鼠精子其Tssk1及Tssk2分布模式未发生改变,小鼠Tssk2在诱发顶体反应前后精子中的分布模式也无变化。然而,原来存在于顶体的Tssk1在诱发顶体反应后由于顶体的丢失而未能检出其信号,但尾部的信号不受影响。在人精子中,Tssk1分布区域为颈部及尾部,Tssk2则分布于赤道板的位置。研究结果提示,Tssk1和Tssk2可能对精子功能具有重要调节作用。     

猪精子体外获能与顶体反应的超微结构研究

用４种方法,检测了猪精子体外获得的效果。结果证明：高离子浓度的前培养液和猪镦泡液,具有促进获能过程的作用,实验还获得了获能后顶体反尖的一些重要的形态学变化资料,包括质膜的膨胀、断裂、顶体膨胀、顶体外膜内陷或原位局部囊泡化,质膜再全部丢失。顶体内膜直到与卵母细胞质膜融合,才发生可见的变化。受精过程无论体内或体外,都容易发生多精入卵,体外受精则更甚。在精子穿过卵丘细胞之间时,一方面开始进行顶体反应,另     

三疣梭子蟹精子顶体反应前后胞内Ca~(2+)的变化

应用激光扫描共聚焦显微镜(LSCM)和Fluo-3/AM荧染技术对三疣梭子蟹精子顶体反应前后的胞内Ca2 变化进行了观察和检测.结果显示,在精子顶体反应过程中,胞内Ca2 主要分布在细胞核、穿孔器和胞质膜残存处,胞内Ca2 浓度([Ca2 ]I)总体上呈现先上升后下降的趋势.顶体反应前精子的平均荧光强度为35.95±5.71;穿孔器前伸、顶体囊膜翻转阶段精子的平均荧光强度为66.80±7.35;顶体囊膜脱落、顶体丝形成阶段精子的平均荧光强度为3.87±2.82;上述各阶段间精子荧光强度有极显著差异(P<0.01).顶体反应穿孔器前伸、顶体囊膜翻转阶段的精子相比顶体反应前精子,[Ca2 ]I显著提高;而在顶体囊膜脱落、顶体丝形成阶段,[Ca2 ]I则急剧下降,只在顶体丝基部胞质膜残存处有微量Ca2 存在.初步探讨了三疣梭子蟹精子顶体反应前后胞内Ca2 变化的功能.     

羊精子表面的凝集素标记特征

用辣根过氧化物酶标记的蓖麻凝集素和伴刀豆素Ａ,对绵羊精子表面的凝集素标记特征进行了观察。蓖麻凝集素在睾丸内精子的顶体区有中等强度标记,尾部有弱标记,在附睾内成熟时,顶体区标记逐渐增强,尾部的标记消失,获能后标记强度则明显减弱。伴刀豆素Ａ的标记在睾丸内的精子仅限于顶体区,随着在附睾内成熟,顶体区的标记增强,尾部也出现弱的标记,获能后有部分精子的标记强度有所增加。实验结果表明,羊精子在成熟过程和获能过程表面糖复合物发生明显修饰。     

豚鼠精子在发生及顶体反应过程中细胞内Ca~(2+)的定位研究

实验利用焦锑酸钾法对豚鼠精子在发生及顶体反应过程中的Ca~(2+)定位作了较详细的研究。在精母细胞及精子细胞上都有Ca~(2+)分布,但睾丸中的精子上则无Ca~(2+)。成熟精子中Ca~(2+)主要定位于顶体帽的整个腹面及背面的两个特定区域。发生顶体反应的精子上Ca~(2+)则位于顶体外膜上或囊泡内,已发生顶体反应的精子中Ca~(2+)则位于顶体内膜上。     

GABA和孕酮对人及豚鼠精子的体外获能作用

为了探讨γ－氨基丁酸（ＧＡＢＡ）是否参与人及豚鼠精子体外获能的调节,将生育男子和豚鼠清子分别悬浮于ＢＷＷ和低Ｃａ＾２＋最小获能培养基（ＬＣａ＾２＋－ＭＣＭ）中,加入ＧＡＢＡ、孕酮（Ｐ４）、ＧＡＢＡＡ受体激动剂及其拮抗剂,在５％ＣＯ２孵箱３８．５℃培养２ｈ。然后用ｉｏｎｏｐｈｏｒｅ Ａ２３１８７激发精子顶体反应（ＡＲ）和超激活运动（ＨＡＭ）。以精子与金霉素（ＣＴＣ）荧光结合类型、ＡＲ和ＨＡＭ为指标来     

几种哺乳动物精子顶体膜囊泡形成的研究

在猪、绵羊、地鼠这几种哺乳动物的精子体外获能后,在顶体反应的超显微结构中观察到:精子顶体膜囊泡化呈现多种形态,但囊泡都是由精子顶体的双层外膜多位点自我融合而形成的,质膜并不参与囊泡化,这一结果与前人报道的不同。     

低温胁迫下水稻幼叶细胞内Ca^2^＋水平的变化

用焦锑酸钙沉淀的电镜细胞化学方法,研究了低温胁迫下水稻（Ｏｒｙｚａ ｓａｔｉｖａ Ｌ．）幼苗细胞内Ｃａ２＋ 定位分布的变化。水稻幼苗在适宜温度下生长时,显示Ｃａ２＋ 定位分布的焦锑酸钙沉淀颗粒大量出现在液泡及细胞间隙中,此外,质体和线粒体以及细胞质和细胞核中也有一些Ｃａ２＋ 沉淀分布。说明在正常情况下,细胞质和细胞核中的游离Ｃａ２＋ 水平是较低的;液泡是植物细胞的主要Ｃａ２＋ 库;细胞外的细胞间隙中有大量的Ｃａ２＋ 存在。当水稻幼苗经２４ 小时１℃低温处理后,在质膜内侧几乎形成一圈整齐排列的Ｃａ２＋ 沉淀颗粒,同时,细胞质和细胞核中的Ｃａ２＋ 水平增加;当１℃低温持续到４８ 小时,不仅在细胞质和细胞核中出现大量的Ｃａ２＋ 分布,同时在液泡膜和质体被膜上产生大量的Ｃａ２＋ 沉淀。而此时的细胞超微结构尚保持较正常的状态,看不出明显的改变。作者认为,低温胁迫中细胞质和细胞核内Ｃａ２＋ 水平的提高可能与尔后的许多生理生化过程的改变有联系     

东方扁虾精子的超微结构

利用电镜研究了东方扁虾（Ｔｈｅｎｕｓ ｏｒｉｅｎｔａｌｉｓ）精子的形态和结构。精子由核、膜复合物区和顶体区３部分组成。核内含非浓缩的染色质、微管及细纤维丝,外被核膜;５～６条辐射臂自核部位伸出,臂内充满微管。膜复合物区位于核与顶体之间,由许多膜片层结构及其衍生的囊泡共同组成。顶体区由顶体囊和围顶体物质组成,顶体结构复杂,由顶体帽、内顶体物质和外顶体物质等构成;围顶体物质呈细颗粒状,主要分布于顶体囊     

Zonadhesin assembly into the hamster sperm acrosomal matrix occurs by distinct targeting strategies during spermiogenesis and maturation in the epididymis

Zonadhesin is the only sperm protein known to bind in a species-specific manner to the zona pellucida. The zonadhesin precursor is a mosaic protein with a predicted transmembrane segment and large extracellular region composed of cell adhesion, mucin, and tandem von Willebrand D domains. Because the precursor possesses a predicted transmembrane segment and localizes to the anterior head, the mature protein was presumed to be a sperm surface zona pellucida-binding protein. In this study of hamster spermatozoa, we demonstrate that zonadhesin does not localize to the sperm surface but is instead a constituent of the acrosomal matrix. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that distinct targeting pathways during spermiogenesis and sperm maturation in the epididymis result in trafficking of zonadhesin to the acrosomal matrix. In round spermatids, zonadhesin localized specifically to the acrosomal membrane, where it appeared to be evenly distributed between the outer and inner membrane domains. Subsequent redistribution of zonadhesin resulted in its elimination from the inner acrosomal membrane and restriction to the outer acrosomal membrane of the apical and principal segments and the contents of the posterior acrosome. During sperm maturation in the epididymis, zonadhesin dissociated from the outer acrosomal membrane and became incorporated into the forming acrosomal matrix. These data suggest an important structural role for zonadhesin in assembly of the acrosomal matrix and further support the view that the species specificity of zona pellucida adhesion is mediated by egg-binding proteins contained within the acrosome rather than on the periacrosomal plasma membrane.     

Sperm exocytosis increases the amount of PH-20 antigen on the surface of guinea pig sperm

Evidence has been presented that the PH-20 protein functions in sperm adhesion to the egg zona pellucida (Primakoff, P., H. Hyatt, and D. G. Myles, 1985, J. Cell Biol., 101:2239-2244). The PH-20 protein migrates from its original surface domain to a new surface domain after the acrosome reaction (Myles, D. G., and P. Primakoff, 1984, J. Cell Biol., 99:1634-1641). The acrosome reaction is an exocytotic event that results in insertion of a region of the secretory granule membrane, the inner acrosomal membrane (IAM), into the plasma membrane. After the acrosome reaction, PH-20 protein migrates to the IAM from its initial domain on the posterior head surface. We have now found a new dynamic feature of the regulation of PH-20 protein on the sperm surface; exocytosis increases the surface expression of PH-20 protein. After the acrosome reaction there is an approximately threefold increase in the number of PH-20 antigenic sites on the sperm surface. These new antigenic sites are revealed on the surface by insertion of the IAM into the plasma membrane. Our evidence indicates that before the acrosome reaction an intracellular population of PH-20 antigen is localized to the IAM. When migration of the surface population of the PH-20 protein is prevented, PH-20 protein can still be detected on the IAM of acrosome-reacted sperm. Also, PH-20 protein can be detected on the IAM of permeabilized acrosome-intact sperm by indirect immunofluorescence. Thus, the sperm cell regulates the amount of PH-20 protein on its surface by sequestering about two-thirds of the protein on an intracellular membrane and subsequently exposing this population on the cell surface by an exocytotic event. This may be a general mechanism for regulating cell surface composition where a rapid increase in the amount of a cell surface protein is required.     

C-kit receptor and its possible function in human spermatozoa

The presence and role of the c-kit proto-oncogene protein was investigated in the mature sperm of the human. A polyclonal antibody against the c-kit peptide was used to perform immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, electron microscopy (EM) studies, and Western blot analysis. The acrosomal region of fresh sperm specifically stained with the antibody. No acrosomal staining or staining limited to the equatorial region was noted in the acrosome-reacted (AR) sperm. EM studies demonstrated immunogold label on the plasma membrane (PM) of the acrosome, and confirmed the lack of binding following the acrosome reaction. A 150 kDa band was detected by Western blot analysis. This protein was released from the sperm surface during sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction. Antibody against the c-kit receptor significantly inhibited the acrosome reaction and increased sperm agglutination, but did not significantly inhibit sperm motility. These results suggest that the c-kit receptor protein is present in mature human sperm and is released during capacitation and/or the acrosome reaction. The assessment of the c-kit receptor may also be a useful assay for sperm function in male infertility.     

Ultrastructural localization of calcium ions in ram spermatozoa before and after cold shock as demonstrated by a pyroantimonate technique

Ram spermatozoa were subjected to cold shock before fixation in pyroantimonate-osmium. Ultrathin sections revealed an electron-dense particulate precipitate in association with the cells. The precipitate was shown to be related to the presence of calcium by exposure of the material to EGTA which reduced or completely eliminated the deposits. In the acrosome region, very little precipitate was evident when the plasma membrane was intact. Cold shock resulted in the disruption of the plasma membrane. When the acrosome remained intact, precipitate was concentrated just anterior to the equatorial segment, but many cells also had acrosomal disruption and then a more even distribution of precipitate was seen on the outer acrosomal membrane. Precipitate was rarely visible within or beneath the acrosome. Post-acrosomally, calcium pyroantimonate deposits were frequently present in the dense lamina beneath the plasma membrane and these became more intense after cold shock. Midpiece sections revealed a few large granules beneath the plasma membrane and a fine particulate precipitate within mitochondria. Similarly, the fine precipitate was also associated with the outer dense fibres in midpieces and tails. Cold shock did not apparently increase the extent or intensity of precipitates in these sites.     

Characterization of two antigenically related integral membrane proteins of the guinea pig sperm periacrosomal plasma membrane

The periacrosomal plasma membrane of mammalian spermatozoa functions both in recognition and in binding of the egg's zona pellucida and in the acrosome reaction. This study characterizes two antigenically related proteins with molecular weights of 35 kD (PM35) and 52 kD (PM52) of the guinea pig sperm periacrosomal plasma membrane. Polyclonal antisera were prepared against electrophoretically purified PM35 or PM52. Each antiserum recognized both the 35-kD and 52-kD polypeptides on Western blots, indicating that they are structurally related. This conclusion was supported by peptide mapping experiments demonstrating comparably sized fragments of both PM35 and PM52. Both PM35 and PM52 behave as integral membrane proteins during phase-separation analysis with Triton X-114. Electron microscopic immunocytochemistry and differential fractionation of sperm membranes established that both PM35 and PM52 are exclusively localized to the periacrosomal plasma membrane. Three different antisera were used for ultrastructural studies, and each specifically bound the cytoplasmic but not the extracellular membrane surface. The electrophoretic mobilities of the PM35 and PM52 polypeptides were unchanged during sperm maturation and during the ionophore-induced acrosome reaction. The localization of PM35 and PM52 suggests a potential role for these integral plasma membrane proteins in signal transduction or membrane fusion events of the acrosome reaction. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Equine sperm-oocyte interaction: the role of sperm surface hyaluronidase.

The plasma membrane over the sperm head of several mammalian species has been shown to express a glycerolphosphatidylinositol-linked hyaluronidase known as PH-20. This protein has been associated with the sperm's interaction with the oocyte cumulus matrix and zona pellucida. The characteristics of PH-20 in equine sperm have not been clearly defined. In this study, ejaculated gel-free semen from five stallions and epididymal sperm from isolated epididymis from 10 stallions was used to characterize the PH-20 activity in equine sperm. Affinity purified anti-equine PH-20 polyclonal antibody was used to immunodetect sperm surface-associated PH-20 and immunolabel whole sperm. The intracellular calcium indicator, Fluo-3, was used to assess sperm intracellular calcium. Stallion sperm express a surface-associated hyaluronidase localized to the posterior sperm head region in ejaculated sperm. Following in vitro capacitation and acrosomal exocytosis, the inner acrosomal membrane (IAM) displays intense hyaluronidase fluorescence suggesting that the IAM and hyaluronidase plays a significant role in zona penetration by sperm. Sperm incubated in hyaluronan (HA)-containing capacitation medium display an elevated intracellular calcium concentration (P<0.01) that is associated with translocation of PH-20 antigenic sites on the sperm surface in addition to increases in protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Caput- and cauda-derived sperm display developmentally unique PH-20 immunofluorescence expression patterns. These data suggest that the differential expression of PH-20 in ejaculated and epididymal sperm could be involved in cumulus penetration, sperm-egg recognition, and oolemmal fusion in this species.     

Signal transduction pathways that regulate sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction

Ejaculated spermatozoa must undergo physiological priming as they traverse the female reproductive tract before they can bind to the egg’s extracellular coat, the zona pellucida (ZP), undergo the acrosome reaction, and fertilize the egg. The preparatory changes are the net result of a series of biochemical and functional modifications collectively referred to as capacitation. Accumulated evidence suggests that the event that initiates capacitation is the efflux of cholesterol from the sperm plasma membrane (PM). The efflux increases permeability and fluidity of the sperm PM and causes influx of Ca²⁺ ions that starts a signaling cascade and result in sperm capacitation. The binding of capacitated spermatozoa to ZP further elevates intrasperm Ca²⁺ and starts a new signaling cascade which open up Ca²⁺ channels in the sperm PM and outer acrosomal membrane (OAM) and cause the sperm to undergo acrosomal exocytosis. The hydrolytic action of the acrosomal enzymes released at the site of sperm-egg (zona) binding, along with the hyperactivated beat pattern of the bound spermatozoon, are important factors in directing the sperm to penetrate the ZP and fertilize the egg. The role of Ca²⁺-signaling in sperm capacitation and induction of the acrosome reaction (acrosomal exocytosis) has been of wide interest. However, the precise mechanism(s) of its action remains elusive. In this article, we intend to highlight data from this and other laboratories on Ca²⁺ signaling cascades that regulate sperm functions.     

Lateral diffusion of the PH-20 protein on guinea pig sperm: evidence that barriers to diffusion maintain plasma membrane domains in mammalian sperm

PH-20 protein on the plasma membrane (PH-20PM) is restricted to the posterior head of acrosome-intact guinea pig sperm. During the exocytotic acrosome reaction the inner acrosomal membrane (IAM) becomes continuous with the posterior head plasma membrane, and PH-20PM migrates to the IAM. There it joins a second population of PH-20 protein localized to this region of the acrosomal membrane (PH-20AM) (Cowan, A.E., P. Primakoff, and D.G. Myles, 1986, J. Cell Biol. 103:1289-1297). To investigate how the localized distributions of PH-20 protein are maintained, the lateral mobility of PH-20 protein on these different membrane domains was determined using fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching. PH-20PM on the posterior head of acrosome-intact sperm was found to be mobile, with a diffusion coefficient and percent recovery typical of integral membrane proteins (D = 1.8 X 10(-10) cm2/s; %R = 73). This value of D was some 50-fold lower than that found for the lipid probe 1,1-ditetradecyl 3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (C14diI) in the same region (D = 8.9 X 10(-9) cm2/s). After migration to the IAM of acrosome-reacted sperm, this same population of molecules (PH-20PM) exhibited a 30-fold increase in diffusion rate (D = 4.9 X 10(-9) cm2/s; %R = 78). This rate was similar to diffusion of the lipid probe C14diI in the IAM (D = 5.4 X 10(-9) cm2/s). The finding of free diffusion of PH-20PM in the IAM of acrosome-reacted sperm supports the proposal that PH-20 is maintained within the IAM by a barrier to diffusion at the domain boundary. The slower diffusion of PH-20PM on the posterior head of acrosome-intact sperm is also consistent with localization by barriers to diffusion, but does not rule out alternative mechanisms.