SPERM ACROSOME ANTIGEN-1 (SAA-1) AND COPR ECIPITATING MOLECULES - REGULATION OF THE HUMAN ACROSOME REACTION

Objectives: Examination of the regulation of the human sperm acrosome reaction as an example of ligand-induced exocytosis. Methods: Developm ent of monoclonal antibodies (mab) against immunaffinity-purified sper m antigen SAA-1. Examination of cross-reactivity of the mabs to human tissues using immunohistochemistry. Examination of reactivity to endom etrial carcinoma cell lines and to PC-12 cells by immunohistochemistry and by radioimmunoassay. Results: Mabs to immunoaffinity-purified SAA -1 recognize three coprecipitating molecules. Corss-reactivity was dem onstrated to glandular epithelia exhibiting ligand-induced exocytosis, and to endometrial carcinoma and PC-12 cells. Conclusions: The protei ns described could be components of the exocytosis-regulating machiner y of human spermatozoa.