Capacitation
The physiological maturation process of the sperm cells in the female genital tract, without which fertilization of the egg cell is not possible, is called capacitation .
physiology
It is a biochemical remodeling process of the sperm cells, which is particularly favored by the cervical secretion . In humans, a glycoprotein coating on the sperm and various proteins in the ejaculate are removed within about 12 hours . Protein substances in the head of the sperm are activated and enable the sperm cell to penetrate the egg cell - if the acrosome reaction required for this only occurs when the sperm comes into contact with the zona pellucida .
Estrogens stimulate capacitation. Natural environmental oestrogens can also accelerate capacitation - but this may also lead to a premature acrosome reaction and thus prevent conception.
Research into the processes involved in sperm capacitation is important for two reasons: on the one hand, couples who want to have children could be helped; on the other hand, the development of capacitation inhibitors could represent a new form of contraception .
See also
literature
- Hermann M Behre, Christoph Keck: Endocrinology, Reproductive Medicine, Andrology, Volume 1 . Georg Thieme Verlag, 2002, ISBN 3-13-107162-1 ( full text in the Google book search).
Web links
- The path of the sperm to the oocyte - The capacitation on Embryology.ch
Individual evidence
- ↑ Environmental oestrogens affect sperm ( Memento of the original from December 17, 2004 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ORF report on the 18th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) in Vienna 2002
