These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Antisperm antibodies induce polyspermy by promoting adherence of human sperm to zona-free hamster eggs.
    Author: Bronson RA, Fusi F, Cooper GW, Phillips DM.
    Journal: Hum Reprod; 1990 Aug; 5(6):690-6. PubMed ID: 2254401.
    Abstract:
    Certain antisperm antibodies (ASAs) in the sera of infertile men or women promote the penetration of zona-free hamster eggs by spermatozoa. We have shown previously that this enhancement of penetration occurs through mechanisms other than an alteration in the acrosomal structure of antibody-labelled spermatozoa. In the present study, small limited populations of antibody-labelled and antibody-free spermatozoa from fertile donors were observed serially by phase contrast, epifluorescence and scanning electron microscopy following their adherence to the oolemma of zona-free hamster eggs. The adherence of ASA-labelled spermatozoa to the zona-free hamster egg was markedly increased and occurred earlier when compared with antibody-free spermatozoa from the same ejaculate. The likelihood of entry of an antibody-labelled spermatozoon into the ooplasm, however, once adherent to the oolemma was not different to that of an antibody-free spermatozoa, and the ultrastructural steps of incorporation of antibody-labelled human spermatozoa were also similar to those observed during fertilization of hamster eggs by spermatozoa of several other species. These observations indicate that ASAs promote polyspermic fertilization of zona-free hamster eggs primarily through their enhancement of sperm--oolemmal binding.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]