Four monoclonal antibodies that are directed against antigens present in sperm and absent from other worm tissues were characterized. Antibody TR20 is directed against the major sperm proteins, a family of small, abundant, cytoplasmic proteins that have been previously described (Klass, M. R., and D. Hirsh, 1981, Dev. Biol., 84:299-312; Burke, D. J., and S. Ward, 1983, J. Mol. Biol., 171:1-29)....

introduction: as monoclonal antibodies are potential tools for characterization of soluble or cellular surface antigens, use of these proteins has always been considered in infertility and reproduction research. therefore, in this study, monoclonal antibodies against human sperm surface antigens were produced. material and methods: to produce specific clones against human sperm surface antigens...

Macroscopic sperm agglutination in gelatin, sperm immobilization and tanned red cell hemagglutination tests could detect antispermatozoal antibodies respectively in 41%, 37%, and 23% sera of 35 leprosy patients, including 5 female cases. Interestingly, all of the above tests were positive in one serum from a female patient with borderline leprosy. Sperm antibodies were detected in both lepromat...

BACKGROUND Translocation of phosphatidylserine (PS) from the inner to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane is a modification of the lipid architecture occurring in sperm. This is one of the earliest signs of apoptosis that can be monitored by the calcium-dependent binding of annexin V. METHODS AND RESULTS Flow cytometric analysis of annexin V binding was performed. Calcium ionophore A2318...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B is a public health problem worldwide. Viral infection can affect a man's fertility, but only scant information about the influence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on sperm quality is available. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hepatitis B virus S protein (HBs) on human sperm membrane integrity and functions. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Reac...

G12 monoclonal antibody (mAb), one of a library of constructed mAb directed against human sperm proteins, was found by immunoperoxidase staining to label the post-acrosomal and neck regions of fixed human cauda epididymal and ejaculated spermatozoa. Epithelium and fluid of caput epididymis were strongly labelled while there was no staining on testis and efferent ducts. Western lot analysis reve...

introduction: cd59 is a complement control protein (ccp) wich exhibits its inhibitory functions by prevention of complement attack complex (max) formation. the aim of this normozoospermia, olig-astheno and azoospermia. materials and methods: the semen of 57 individual were grouped to normozoospermia (8), asthenozoospermia (21), oligo-astenozoospermia (16), and azoospermia (12) according to who ...

Freshwater extracts of starfish ovaries were used to purify the sperm-attracting peptide 'startrak' from Pycnopodia helianthoides using hydrophobic interaction chromatography and DEAE-high-pressure liquid chromatography. Partially purified attractant had a molecular mass of 13 kDa, estimated from gel filtration and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis results. The purified attractant was subjecte...

BACKGROUND The protamine 1-to-protamine 2 ratio (P1/P2) is altered in the sperm cells of some infertile patients. Also, evidence for increased protamine 2 precursors (pre-P2) in a few patients has been reported. But so far, there have been no studies measuring simultaneously these two variables in a large number of patients. METHODS We measured the P1/P2 ratio and the presence of pre-P2 using...

Glutathione peroxidase-5 (GPX5) is an H2O2-scavenging enzyme identified in boar seminal plasma (SP). This study attempted to clarify its origin and role on sperm survival and fertility after artificial insemination (AI). GPX5 was expressed (Western blot and immunocytochemistry using a rabbit primary polyclonal antibody) in testes, epididymis and accessory sex glands (6 boars). SP-GPX5 concentra...