Epididymal sperm maturation: proteins isolated from edididymal fluid mediate sperm re association in vitro

RENSETTI DE; SOLA AJ; MONCLUS MA; FORNES MW

Potrero de los Funes, San Luis

Congreso; XXVI Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2006

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

-In many mammals species during their epididymal journey, sperm associated by their heads when they reach the Cauda, but not in the proximal regions of this organ. These associations, called Rosettes were previously characterized in Mouse and Rat.   This suggests a maturational process, probably due to the milieu that contains several proteins secreted by the caudal epithelium. The physiological meaning of this behavior remains unclear. -Chromatographic techniques were used to fractionate epididymal fluid proteins extracted from adult male Wistar Rats. All the fractions obtained were evaluated at different protein concentrations to re associated   motile and isolated sperm  in vitro. -Fraction N°2, enriched in proteins with MW 153, 130, 85, 26,3 24 and 16 Kda and affinity for Concanavalin A was the most effective for re associate sperm in Rosettes after their incubation in vitro. -Additional purifications and monoclonal antibodies raised against these proteins will led us to a better identification of the factors involved in Rosettes assembling in vivo, and clarify their biological importance in male reproduction.