Biology of Reproduction, Vol 28, 683-690, Copyright © 1983 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

ARTICLES

Chondroitin sulfate facilitates an acrosome reaction in bovine spermatozoa as evidenced by light microscopy, electron microscopy and in vitro fertilization

RW Lenz, GD Ball, JK Lohse, NL First and RL Ax

Bovine epididymal spermatozoa were incubated for 22 h in a modified Tyrode's medium. The percentages of sperm exhibiting an acrosome reaction were determined morphologically after fixing and staining specimens. The addition of chondroitin sulfate A (CS-A) significantly increased the incidence of acrosome reaction. When observed by electron microscopy, acrosome-reacted sperm had undergone vesiculation of the plasma and outer acrosomal membranes. Sperm incubated in the presence of CS-A demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of vesiculation when compared to the controls. Additionally, rates of in vitro fertilization of bovine oocytes were significantly elevated when sperm and ova were exposed to CS-A. These results suggest that glycosaminoglycans in the female reproductive tract may be responsible for some of the biochemical changes associated with fertilization, and a light microscope procedure can be used to assess occurrence of the acrosome reaction.

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