Premium
Identification of cholesta‐7,24‐dien‐3β‐ol and desmosterol in hamster cauda epididymal spermatozoa
Author(s) -
Awano M.,
Kawaguchi A.,
Morisaki M.,
Mohri H.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02535086
Subject(s) - desmosterol , hamster , sterol , epididymis , cholesterol , biology , medicine , andrology , endocrinology , chemistry , sperm , genetics
The sterol composition of hamster cauda epididymal spermatozoa was remarkably different from that of several other mammalian spermatozoa. Desmosterol and cholesta‐7,24‐dien‐3β‐ol account for as much as 90% of the total sterols. Cholesterol and desmosterol are the major components of mouse cauda epididymal spermatozoa, and rabbit, boar and bull ejaculated spermatozoa. Cholesta‐7,24‐dien‐3β‐ol was not detected. Furthermore, cholesterol was the main sterol in hamster caput epididymal spermatozoa, while only a trace amount of desmosterol was detected and cholesta‐7,24‐dien‐3β‐ol was hardly detected at all. The sterol content of cauda and caput epididymal spermatozoa was 0.17±0.05 μmol/10 8 spermatozoa. During maturation, the desmosterol and cholesta‐7,24‐dien‐3β‐ol levels increase and the cholesterol level decreases. Cholesta‐7,24‐dien‐3β‐ol appears as a sterol in mature spermatozoa and seems to be a characteristic sterol of hamster cauda epididymal spermatozoa.