Several studies suggest that acrosin, an acrosomal trypsin-like serine proteinase, plays a role in fertilization. The enzyme is present in an enzymatically inactive precursor form, called proacrosin and is believed to be converted to the enzymatically active form(s) through one/multiple physiological event(s) prior to the sperm penetration of the zona pellucida. Although, the proacrosin-acrosin system of several species has been well documented, the study of the enzyme system in bovine caput and cauda epididymis (where the maturation of spermatozoa occurs) has not been characterized. The present study demonstrates the quantification and partial characterization of the proacrosin-acrosin proteinase system in unpurified acrosomal extracts of bovine caput and cauda epididymal sperm. Proacrosin activation followed the sigmoidal type of activation curve. Activation experiments demonstrate that almost 80-90% of this protein exists in zymogen (proacrosin) form either in ejaculated or caput and cauda epididymal spermatozoa. Time-course activation studies showed that the zymogen in isolated spermatozoa was completely converted to active non-zymogen form in 3 and 5 h after removal from the cauda and caput regions, respectively, at pH 8.0 at 25 degrees C. This conversion was markedly inhibited by calcium in a dose dependent manner and the inhibition was reversible. On the other hand, calcium has a stimulatory effect on the hydrolytic activity of acrosin. These studies reveal that the proacrosin-acrosin system can be identified in crude extracts of bull epididymal and ejaculated sperm.