The Phospholipid Composition of Human Spermatozoa and Seminal Plasma

Poulos, A.; White, I. G.

doi:10.1530/jrf.0.0350265

Cited by 99 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…High levels of PUFA were detected higher than those detected in blood serum phospholipids. This higher percentage of PUFA has already been noted in humans (30,31) and also in mammalian spermatozoa by other Authors (see 15), but without a proposed relation with sperm fertilizing ability. However, significant differences in the percentage have been observed depending on the type of the diet and, in animals, on the season.…”

Section: Pufa Sperm Membrane Compositionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Lipoperoxidation damage of spermatozoa polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA): scavenger mechanisms and possible scavenger therapies

Lenzi

Gandini²,

Picardo

et al. 2000

Front Biosci

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The lipid metabolism in sperm cells is important both as one of the main sources for energy production and for cell structure. The double leaflets of the membrane should be considered not simply as a passive lipid film, but as a very specialized structure. The complete maturation of the sperm cell membrane is attained after testicular lipid biosynthetic processes and after passage through the epididymis. A special composition of membrane phospholipids, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and the different composition of sperm and immature germ cell membrane are described and discussed.Testis germ cells as well as epididymal maturing spermatozoa are endowed with enzymatic and nonenzymatic scavenger systems to prevent lipoperoxidative damage. Catalase, superoxide dismutase and GSHdependent oxidoreductases are present in variable amounts in the different developmental stages. Phospholipid hydroperoxide GSH peroxidase (PHGPx) activity and alpha tochopherol of epididymal spermatozoa are considered in detail. Their distribution and roles in caput and cauda epididymal sperm cells are discussed.Seminal plasma also has a highly specialized scavenger system that defends the sperm membrane against lipoperoxidation and the degree of PUFA insaturation acts to achieve the same goal. Systemic predisposition and a number of pathologies can lead to an anti-oxidant/prooxidant disequilibrium. Scavengers, such as GSH, can be used to treat these cases as they can restore the physiological constitution of PUFA in the cell membrane. The results of GSH therapy are presented and discussed. PHOSPHOLIPIDS OF THE SPERM PLASMA MEMBRANE: THEIR PHYSIOLOGY AND ROLE Preliminary remarksSperm membranes play a very active role in sperm fertilization capacity and in sperm-oocyte cross talk, and its biochemical constitution is one of the main field of interest in the study of sperm physiology and pathology. Spermatozoa are polarized cells with structurally and functionally distinct domains. The two leaflets in the membrane of the cap region, overlying the acrosomal vesicle are the domains sensitive to the capacitation stimuli (1). When the various steps of capacitation have induced an increase in the fluidity of the cap region, a fusogenic process, which possesses already the structural premise, starts between this membrane and the outer acrosomal vesicle membrane. The final event consists in the formation of pores that allow a dispersion of the acrosomal enzymes acrosine and hyaluronidase. A

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Section: Pufa Sperm Membrane Compositionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Lipoperoxidation damage of spermatozoa polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA): scavenger mechanisms and possible scavenger therapies

Lenzi

Gandini²,

Picardo

et al. 2000

Front Biosci

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“…Table 2 includes results for spermatozoa from buffalo (25) and stallions (26) in addition to the previous species (Table 1). Seminal plasma data are from the following sources: boar (13), bovine (25,27), buffalo (25), human (12,28),t rabbit (17), ram (29), and stallion (26). Ejaculated spermatozoa and seminal plasma have comparable Chol levels ( (Table 1), and we may take R(uterus) to be 0.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing of fertilization in mammals: sperm cholesterol/phospholipid ratio as a determinant of the capacitation interval.

Davis¹

1981

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

277

136

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A survey of species differences in the duration of capacitation, T, has revealed that they closely correlate with sperm cholesterol/phospholipid mole ratios, R: T = 8R -1 (r2 = 0.97, in which r is Pearson's correlation coefficient). Because uterine cells displayed low relative cholesterol concentrations, spermatozoa evidently experience a negative external cholesterol gradient (positive phospholipid gradient) during capacitation. A decrease in sperm R-value is suggested, therefore, to accompany capacitation. The idea received strong support from a kinetic analysis of capacitation intervals, based on the rate of cholesterol efflux from sperm cells in utero. Lipid-binding serum proteins in uterine fluid are attributed with removing a sterol barrier to the Ca2+-facilitated membrane fusion that initiates the acrosome reaction. Tight cell junctions prevent permeation of the male generative tract by these proteins (capacitation factors). Furthermore, seminal plasma contains a decapacitation factor, identified as a membrane vesicle (cholesterol donor) component ofthis fluid, that reverses capacitation. Initiation of the sperm acrosome reaction among mammals could be the first fusion process found to be physiologically modulated through the membrane bilayer cholesterol level.Cells frequently display an intriguing sense oftime. This is certainly conspicuous during embryogenesis of a complex organism. Even before fertilization, however, mammalian gametes change with time.

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“…Knowledge of the rôles of lipids in the physiology of spermatozoa is still very meagre (see Mann, 1964), and it would be useful to know the lipid composition of the spermatozoa of different species. Studies on the sperma¬ tozoa of the ram, bull and man (Hartree & Mann, 1961;Masaki & Hartree, 1962;Pursell & Graham, 1967;Scott & Dawson, 1968;Poulos & White, 1973) (1957). After washing, the smears were stained with Sudan black B, Nile blue and acid haematein (see Pearse, 1968).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Lipid Composition of Buffalo Spermatozoa: A Cytochemical and Biochemical Study

Guraya¹,

Sidhu²

1975

Reproduction

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Summary. Buffalo Semen was collected from sexually mature buffalo bulls (Bubalus bubalis) of known fertility using an artificial vagina. Three to four ejaculates were pooled to make the final volume to nearly 10 ml. Semen was kept at 4°C for 10 to 15 min in order to immobilize the spermatozoa. Spermatozoa were sepa¬ rated from seminal plasma by centrifugation. The sperm pellet was washed with phosphate buffer at pH 7-4 three times and was again centrifuged. The washed spermatozoa were shaken with 20 ml chloroform : methanol (2:2, v/v). The solution was boiled for 45 min in a flask fitted with a condenser to avoid loss of solvent, and was then filtered through a sintered funnel and puri¬ fied by the method of Folch, Lees & Sloane-Stanley (1957

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The Phospholipid Composition of Human Spermatozoa and Seminal Plasma

Cited by 99 publications

References 16 publications

Lipoperoxidation damage of spermatozoa polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA): scavenger mechanisms and possible scavenger therapies

Lipoperoxidation damage of spermatozoa polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA): scavenger mechanisms and possible scavenger therapies

Timing of fertilization in mammals: sperm cholesterol/phospholipid ratio as a determinant of the capacitation interval.

Lipid Composition of Buffalo Spermatozoa: A Cytochemical and Biochemical Study

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