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The Interfering Effect of Human IgG Antisperm Antibodies on Human Sperm Penetration of Zona‐Free Hamster Eggs *
Author(s) -
HAAS GILBERT G.,
SOKOLOSKI JOSEPH E.,
WOLF DON P.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 0271-7352
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1980.tb00009.x
Subject(s) - sperm , hamster , andrology , antibody , semen , population , radioimmunoassay , biology , penetration (warfare) , antigen , infertility , immunology , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , medicine , pregnancy , genetics , environmental health , operations research , engineering
A liquid‐phase radioimmunoassay was used to quantitate sperm‐associated IgG in a population of patients with unexplained infertility. Plasma IgG antisperm antibody activity was identified in a subpopulation of these patients. Using the human sperm/hamster egg assay, a unique functional test of human sperm penetrating capacity, we identified a subset of these positive patients whose plasma significantly and reproducibly inhibited penetration. This study implies that antigen‐antibody reactions may prevent sperm responses that are critical to sperm‐egg fusion.