Heparin sulfate (HS) is present on human sperm surface and could be involved in sperm-oviduct epithelial cell interaction.

ROMANATO MARINA; CALVO JUAN CARLOS; GOGORZA SEBASTIÁN; GIL SANTIAGO; GALOTTO, CAMILA; LUCRECIA PIÑEIRO; JULIANELLI VANINA

Copenhague

Congreso; International Congress of Andrology; 2017

International Society of Andrology

We have previously reported that HS is present in the ooplasm andperivitelline space of human oocytes and proposed it participates inhuman, bovine and mouse sperm decondensation in vivo. AIM:To evaluate the presence of HS in washed, capacitated and acrosome reacted human spermatozoa and its possible role in sperm - oviductal cell interaction. Protocol and informed consent were approved by Ethics Committees of HIBA and IBYME. These results show that 1) there is an increased amount of HS bound to the surface of AR spermatozoa compared to washed or capacitatedsperm and 2) interaction of spermatozoa with oviductal cells in vitro can be prevented by addition of heparin. Taken together, they suggestthat HS may not only be involved in sperm decondensation as we previously described, but also play a relevant role in sperm - oviductinteraction.