Journal of Andrology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Published-Ahead-of-Print April 1, 2006, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.05135

This Article
Right arrow Author Manuscript (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
27/4/578    most recent
Author Manuscript (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Baumber, J. A.
Right arrow Articles by Meyers, S. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Baumber, J. A.
Right arrow Articles by Meyers, S. A.

Changes in Membrane Lipid Order with Capacitation in Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) Spermatozoa

Julie A. Baumber and Stuart A. Meyers

The lipophilic fluorescent dye, Merocyanine 540, is believed to stain cell membranes with increasing affinity as their lipid components become more disordered and can be related to changes in membrane fluidity. The aim of this study was to determine if membrane lipid disorder is associated with capacitation of macaque spermatozoa. To induce capacitation, spermatozoa from rhesus macaques (n=5), were incubated at 37 °C (5 % CO2 in air) for 2 hrs in a modified Biggers-Whitten-Whittingham medium (BWW) containing 30 mg/mL bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 36 mM NaHCO3, followed by the addition of caffeine (1 mM) and dbcAMP (1.2 mM) for an additional 30 minutes. Sperm motility was determined by computer assisted sperm analysis and membrane lipid order and sperm viability by flow cytometry with merocyanine (2.7 µM) and Yo-Pro-1 (25 nM) respectively. Tyrosine phosphorylation of sperm tail proteins was examined by immunocytochemistry with anti-phosphotyrosine antibody ({alpha}-PY; clone 4G10). Capacitation resulted in a significant (P < 0.005) increase in the amplitude of lateral head displacement and beat cross frequency and a significant (P < 0.005) decrease in linearity and straightness in capacitated spermatozoa when compared to control spermatozoa; suggesting the expression of hyperactivated motility. Capacitation was also associated with a significant (P < 0.0001) increase in the number of spermatozoa showing tyrosine phosphorylation of tail proteins and a significant (P < 0.0001) increase in the intensity of merocyanine fluorescence, when compared to the control. The observed decrease in membrane lipid order with capacitation was not associated with surface exposure of phosphatidylserine, as determined by flow cytometry with annexin V-Alexa Fluor 488. Merocyanine may be a useful tool for investigating the role of the plasma membrane on capacitation and other cytotoxic events in macaque spermatozoa.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J AndrolHome page
V. Selvaraj, D. E. Buttke, A. Asano, J. L. Mcelwee, C. A. Wolff, J. L. Nelson, A. V. Klaus, G. R. Hunnicutt, and A. J. Travis
GM1 Dynamics as a Marker for Membrane Changes Associated With the Process of Capacitation in Murine and Bovine Spermatozoa
J Androl, July 1, 2007; 28(4): 588 - 599.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Copyright © 2006 by The American Society of Andrology.