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The Acrosome Reaction Induced by Dimethylsulfoxide in Sea Urchin Sperm
Author(s) -
MIKAMITAKEI KAORI,
FUJIWARA AKIKO,
YASUMASU IKUO
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-169x.1988.00125.x
Subject(s) - acrosome reaction , sperm , sea urchin , human fertilization , chemistry , acrosome , seawater , andrology , artificial seawater , biophysics , anatomy , botany , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , ecology , medicine
The acrosome reaction in sea urchin sperm, as judged by disappearance of the acrosomal vesicles in Nomarski optics, was induced by dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) at concentration above 0.1% in normal artificial sea water. The number of the acrosome‐reacted spermatozoa increased in proportion to DMSO concentration. The DMSO‐induced acrosome reaction, as well as the jelly water‐ or A23187‐induced one, was inhibited by nifedipine and hardly occurred in Ca 2+ ‐free artificial sea water. However, the DMSO‐induced acrosome reaction was found in a few number of spermatozoa in the presence of Ca 2+ at above 0.5 mM, though the jelly water‐ or A23187‐induced acrosome reaction did not occur at external Ca 2+ levels lower than 1 mM. Dependency of the acrosome reaction by DMSO on external Ca 2+ is somewhat lower than that of the reaction by jelly water. In Ca 2+ ‐free artificial sea water, the acrosomal regions of DMSO‐treated spermatozoa attached to their own tails. In some cases, spermatozoa thus treated with DMSO in Ca 2+ free artificial sea water caused formation of fertilization membrane in a few number of eggs kept in Ca 2+ ‐free artificial sea water. Even in the absence of extermal Ca 2+ , preliminary step of the acrosome reaction seems to be completed probably by DMSO‐induced weak Ca 2+ ‐mobilization in spermatozoa.