After epididymal maturation, sperm capacitation, which encompasses a complex series of molecular events, endows the sperm with the ability to fertilize an egg. This process can be mimicked in vitro in defined media, the composition of which is based on the electrolyte concentration of the oviductal fluid. It is well established that capacitation requires Na(+), HCO(3)(-), Ca(2+), and a choleste...

Human sperm have to undergo a maturational process called capacitation in the female reproductive tract. Capacitation confers upon the sperm an ability to gain hypermotility and undergo acrosome reaction. Previous studies have suggested that seminal plasma proteins induce the capacitation of sperm in the female reproductive tract for the successful fertilization of the oocyte. However, the func...

T hirty years ago, on July 25, Steptoe and Edwards reported the birth of Louise Joy Brown, the first successful ‘‘Test-Tube’’ baby (1). This achievement followed a lack of success of in vitro fertilization experiments for almost 80 years since the first attempts in 1878. These early failures were due mainly to a lack of comprehension of sperm physiology. In the early 1950s, Chang (2) and Austin...

background: leptin and its receptor are present in spermatozoa; however, the role of leptin in sperm function is still controversial. our present study aimed at demonstrating the effect of cryopreservation on sperm dna fragmentation (dnaf) and investigating the possible effects of sperm capacitation techniques and leptin in vitro incubation on frozen-thawed sperm dnaf and oxidative stress. meth...

Mammalian sperm are incapable of fertilizing eggs immediately after ejaculation; they acquire fertilization capacity after residing in the female tract for a finite period of time. The physiological changes sperm undergo in the female reproductive tract that render sperm able to fertilize constitute the phenomenon of "sperm capacitation." We have demonstrated that capacitation is associated wit...

This research effort seeks to extend current understanding within the sociotechnical perspective. It investigates the inter-relationship between various aspects of both individual and technology roles in the workplace. A main focus of research is the notion of technological capacitation, the support employees derive from the use of IT systems. An analysis of survey data on the work environment ...

BACKGROUND Cystatin C (CST3), a cysteine protease inhibitor in seminal plasma, is expressed in animal uteri. However, its expression in the human female reproductive tract and its effect on human sperm capacitation are unclear. METHODS The cellular localization of CST3 was observed using immunohistochemistry. The binding of CST3 to sperm was examined using immunocytochemistry. Sperm motility ...

Cigarette smoke is known to be a serious health risk factor and considered reproductively toxic. In the current study, we investigated whether constituents of cigarette smoke, pyrazine, 2-ethylpyridine, and 3-ethylpyridine, adversely aff ect reproductive functioning such as oocyte maturation and sperm capacitation. Our fi ndings indicated that three smoke components were involved in retardation...

Membrane modifications in sperm cells represent a key step in sperm capacitation; however, the molecular basis of these modifications is not fully understood. Ezrin is the best-studied member of the ezrin/radixin/merlin family. As a cross-linker between the cortical cytoskeleton and plasma membrane proteins, ezrin contributes to remodeling of the membrane surface structure. Furthermore, activat...

The primary aim of this study was to establish a flow cytometric technique for determining the capacitation status of stallion spermatozoa. To this end, a flow cytometric technique that demonstrates changes in plasma membrane fluidity; namely, merocyanine 540 staining, was compared with the more conventional Ca(2+)-dependent fluorescence microscopic technique, chlortetracycline (CTC) staining, ...