Biomaterial Database

Isolation of the outer acrosomal membrane from bull sperm. 1975

W L Zahler, and G A Doak

A procedure is described for subcellular fractionation of bull sperm which allows the isolation of outer acrosomal membrane without the use of detergent. After washing to remove seminal plasma contaminants, the acrosomal membrane is removed by homogenization and separated on a two-step sucrose gradient. The isolated membranes have been characterized by light and electron microscopy and enzyme analysis. While the acrosomal enzymes hyaluronidase and acrosin are bound to the isolated membranes, they represent only a small percentage of the total activity and therefore do not provide reliable marker enzymes for this fraction. Subcellular fractionation of sperm also yields information on the solubility of acrosomal enzymes. Two types of acrosomal enzymes have been identified on the basis of their distribution in gradient fractions. Both alpha-fucosidase and beta-N-acetyl glucosaminidase are concentrated in the soluble fraction of the gradient. In contrast, over 70% of the acrosin and hyaluronidase activity remains associated with the sperm pellet. These differences in solubility of these enzymes may reflect differences in their function in fertilization.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008566	Membranes	Thin layers of tissue which cover parts of the body, separate adjacent cavities, or connect adjacent structures.	Membrane Tissue,Membrane,Membrane Tissues,Tissue, Membrane,Tissues, Membrane
D002417	Cattle	Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor.	Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D005644	alpha-L-Fucosidase	An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of an alpha L-fucoside to yield an alcohol and L-fucose. Deficiency of this enzyme can cause FUCOSIDOSIS. EC 3.2.1.51.	Fucosidase,alpha-Fucosidase,alpha Fucosidase,alpha L Fucosidase
D006596	Hexosaminidases	Enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of N-acylhexosamine residues in N-acylhexosamides. Hexosaminidases also act on GLUCOSIDES; GALACTOSIDES; and several OLIGOSACCHARIDES.	Galactosaminidases,Hexosaminidase,Galactosaminidase,Glucosaminidase,Glucosaminidases
D006821	Hyaluronoglucosaminidase	An enzyme that catalyzes the random hydrolysis of 1,4-linkages between N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosamine and D-glucuronate residues in hyaluronate. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) There has been use as ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS to limit NEOPLASM METASTASIS.	Hyaluronidase,Duran-Reynals Permeability Factor,GL Enzyme,Hyaglosidase,Hyaluronate Hydrolase,Wydase,Duran Reynals Permeability Factor,Factor, Duran-Reynals Permeability,Hydrolase, Hyaluronate,Permeability Factor, Duran-Reynals
D000176	Acrosin	A trypsin-like enzyme of spermatozoa which is not inhibited by alpha 1 antitrypsin.	Acrosomal proteinase,Akrosin,M beta-Acrosin,M beta Acrosin,beta-Acrosin, M,proteinase, Acrosomal
D000177	Acrosome	The cap-like structure covering the anterior portion of SPERM HEAD. Acrosome, derived from LYSOSOMES, is a membrane-bound organelle that contains the required hydrolytic and proteolytic enzymes necessary for sperm penetration of the egg in FERTILIZATION.	Acrosomes
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013094	Spermatozoa	Mature male germ cells derived from SPERMATIDS. As spermatids move toward the lumen of the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES, they undergo extensive structural changes including the loss of cytoplasm, condensation of CHROMATIN into the SPERM HEAD, formation of the ACROSOME cap, the SPERM MIDPIECE and the SPERM TAIL that provides motility.	Sperm,Spermatozoon,X-Bearing Sperm,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperm,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Sperm, X-Bearing,Sperm, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, X-Bearing,Sperms, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,X Bearing Sperm,X Chromosome Bearing Sperm,X-Bearing Sperms,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms,Y Bearing Sperm,Y Chromosome Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperms,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms