Biol Reprod Keystone Symposia Conference on Frontiers in Reproductive Biology & Regulation of Fertility.
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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 25, 639-648, Copyright © 1981 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

Fertilization by Guinea Pig Spermatozoa Requires Potassium Ions

B. JANE ROGERS 1, MARILYN UENO 1, , and RYUZO YANAGIMACHI 1

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Anatomy and Reproductive Biology, and Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96826


When guinea pig eggs were inseminated with acrosome-reacted guinea pig spermatozoa in potassium-free medium, the fertilization rate was zero. The minimum concentration of potassium required for successful fertilization was between 1 and 2 mM. Potassium was required for fertilization of both zona-free and zona-intact guinea pig eggs by guinea pig spermatozoa. An increase in polyspermy in the zona-free hamster eggs was seen with increasing concentrations of potassium. Acrosome reaction occurred in the absence of potassium, but an unexpected retardation of acro some reaction was observed at the concentration of potassium (1 and 2 mM) required for fertiliza tion. These results indicate that potassium is indispensable for some process or processes at fertilization.

Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work was supported by grants from NIH HD-11555 and HD-03402. The authors thank Hana Van Campen and Sally Perreault for their assistance in both technical work and in preparation of the manuscript, and Cathy McCarville for assistance in typing and figure preparation.

Submitted on May 12, 1980
Accepted on May 27, 1981






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Copyright © 1981 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.