ACROSOME REACTION IN THE HEAD-ATTACHED HUMAN SPERM

The physiological acrosome reaction of the sperm occurs on the surface of the oocyte. Although its occurrence on the zona pellucida is consi dered to be a specific response to zona compounds, whether the simple attachment itself could influence the reaction of motile spermatozoa t o a fixed surface and promote onset of the reaction is questioned. A m otile human sperm head fixation method was developed recently, through which a group of head-attached sperm can be established easily. These head-attached sperm were investigated for their acrosome reactions. A fter staining by fluorescein iso-thiocyanate conjugated peanut lectin (FITC-PNA), many head-attached spermatozoa (75.7%) were found to have undergone an acrosome reaction.