CHANGES IN WGA-LECTIN BINDING-SITES ON SPERM DURING EPIDIDYMAL TRANSIT IN THE CHACMA BABOON (PAPIO-URSINUS) AND THE VERVET MONKEY (CERCOPITHECUS-AETHIOPS)

Epididymal maturation of sperm entails molecular changes to the sperm plasma membrane. These changes are reflected by changes in lectin bind ing. The wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) lectin was used, since it binds t o acetylglucosamine and sialic acid, which are involved in sperm funct ion. The objective was to study changes in WGA-lectin binding during e pididymal passage and in the ejaculate of the Chacma baboon and vervet monkey. The intensity and location of lectin binding on sperm from th e ejaculate and the caput, corpus, and cauda epididymidis of 5 adult m ales from each species were studied. In both baboon and monkey sperm, the acrosomal region had the highest intensity stain and the equatoria l region had the lowest intensity. Significant differences in staining of the different regions of sperm were found for the different epidid ymal sites acid the ejaculate of both species. It was concluded that c hanges in the molecular composition of the sperm membrane, taking plac e during epididymal maturation, can at least in part be monitored by s tudying WGA-lectin binding on sperm. The changes noted are probably im portant for the organization of a membrane of the correct molecular co nformation and mandatory for complete sperm function.