Development of a maturation antigen on the plasma membrane of rat spermatozoa in the epididymis and its fate during fertilization

Detection of 25-kDa Anti-Agglutinin in Epididymal Plasma and Spermatozoa Collected from Various Regions of Boar Epididymis.

“…Such changes in the fluid proteins have been postulated to be due to various factors: 1) active secretion from the epididymal epithelium; 2) concentration by selective water uptake; 3) modification by cleavage, congregation, crosslinkage or glycocylation and 4) accumulation of coincident with or immediately after its appearance in the epididymal fluid. The association of epididymal fluid components with luminal spermatozoa has been reported in 15-30-kDa epididymal glycoproteins and sialoproteins in boars [11], a 24-kDa epididymal fluid component in rams [20], 24-and 25-kDa epididymal proteins in mice [21,22], and 23-, 25-and 26-kDa spermbinding proteins in rats [23][24][25][26]. All are characterized by molecular weights similar to the boar anti-agglutinin.…”

A determinant of Mr 34 000 expressed by hamster epididymal epithelium binds specifically to spermatozoa in co-culture

“…A limited distribution of epididymal secretory product or metabolite has been reported by others (Lea et ., 1978;Moore, 1980;Brooks, 1981;Prakash& Moore, 1982;Jones et al, 1985) and illustrates the regional functional activity of the epithelium often corresponding to a particular segment or duct circumscribed by connective tissue. How this fine control mechanism may operate is unknown.…”

Monoclonal Antibody Against a Human Sperm Protein Recognizes Multiple Epitopes on Rabbit and Human Sperm and Blocks Sperm Function

“…This showed that the antigens reactive to B -12 present in the midpiece and the tail were intrinsic and got exposed on fixation in which condition internal antigens surface due to breakage of cells ( 19 ). Monoclonal antibody reacting against midpiece of viable human spermatozoa and recognizing a protein of apparent molecular mass of 30kDa was described (20).…”