Human epididymis protein 4(HE4) is a secretory glycoprotein found in human distal epididymis epithelial cells. It is often used in the early diagnosis, efficacy evaluation and monitoring of ovarian cancer, and also has been considered as an effective serum marker for many other types of cancer. However, its function in the process of sperm maturation is not fully unknown. The maturation of sperm in epididymis is characterized by the acquisition of motility and fertilization. As a member of the whey acid protein (WAP) family, several studies proposed the importance of HE4 in the maturity of sperm in epididymis. This article reviews the effect of HE4 on spermatozoa maturation in epididymis, which provides basis for the evaluation of male reproductive ability, early detection, early diagnosis and pathogenesis of male infertility.
Epididymis/metabolism* ; Humans ; Male ; Semen ; Sperm Maturation ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa/metabolism*

Carnitines are important conditionally essential nutrients in the organism, with extensive physiological functions, and highly concentrated in the epididymis and sperm. Carnitines play an important role not only in initiating sperm motility, promoting sperm maturation and enhancing sperm fertilizing, but also in regulating Sertoli cell function, protecting sperm against oxidative damage, reducing apoptosis of spermatogenic cell and inhibiting sperm aggregation. Accordingly, the objective of this review is to summarize the multifunctional roles of carnitine in male reproduction.
Animals ; Carnitine ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Rats ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Maturation ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; physiology ; Testis ; physiology

The causes of male infertility have been well delineated in numerous textbooks and articles. These are divided into six major categories such as failure of spermatogenesis, failure of sperm maturation, failure of sperm transportation, failure of semen composition, failure of hormonal system and failure of ejaculation. Besides these, the motile activity of sperm has been regarded as an important factor for the impregnation This clinical study has been undertaken to examine the effects of hemologous human semen mixtures upon the motile time of the spermatozoa, and the result are presented as follows; Group 1, Mixture of Normospermia and Normospermia: 10 mixtures Normospermia-A: 471. 9 minutes of aver age sperm motile time Normospermia-B: 369. 4 minutes of average sperm motile time Normo-A+Normo-B mixture: 452. 5 minutes of average sperm motile time Group 2, Mixture of Normospermia and Oligospermia: 10 mixtures Normospermia: 445.3 minutes of average sperm motile time Oligospermia: 376.2 minutes of average sperm motile time Normo+Oligo mixture: 456. 1 minutes of average sperm motile time Group 3, Mixture of Normospermia and Azoospermia; 8 mixtures Normospermia: 433. 3 minutes of average sperm motile time Azoospermia: Normo.+Azoo. mixture: 455. 1 minutes of average sperm motile time Group 4, Mixture of Oligospermia and Azoospermia; 6 mixtures Oligospermia: 343. 6 minutes of average sperm motile time Azoospermia: Oligo.+Azoo. mixture: 348. 1 minutes of average serum motile time In In conclusion, 1. no mutual spermicidal effect but tendency toward enhancement of sperm motile time 2. no sperm agglutinating phenomenon nor sperm immobilizing effect were noted in various semen mixtures 3. posibilities of clinical application such as AID arc considerable and 4. further studies are needed in conjunction with the serum autoimmune mechanism.
Azoospermia ; Ejaculation ; Humans* ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Oligospermia ; Semen* ; Sperm Immobilizing Agents ; Sperm Maturation ; Sperm Transport ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa*

The epididymis is a single and highly convoluted tubule system in mammals. The epithelium is the major compartment for epididymal function. Proteins synthesized and secreted by epididymal epithelium provide a special and ever-changing luminal fluid environment for sperm as they progress through the epididymis, which makes sperm achieve motility and ultimately results in sperm functional maturation. Specialized genes expressed in the epididymis have regional-specific characteristics. They are regulated by androgen and/or testicular factors and present spatial and tempel-specialized expression pattern in postnatal development, all these hint that they play important and unique roles in epididymis.
Animals ; Epididymal Secretory Proteins ; genetics ; Epididymis ; physiology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Male ; Mammals ; Sperm Maturation ; genetics

The osmotic challenges facing maturing spermatozoa and their responses to them are discussed in relation to the concept of sperm maturation, defined as the increased ability of more distally recovered epididymal spermatozoa to fertilize eggs when inseminated into the female tract. One explanation could be that the more distal cells are better able to regulate their volume, and reach the oviducts, as a consequence of uptake of epididymal osmolytes. Increased motility, zona binding and oolemma fusion capacities are also acquired within the epididymis and are necessary for those cells that finally arrive at the site of fertilization.
Animals ; Epididymis ; physiology ; Female ; Fertilization ; physiology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mammals ; Mice ; Ovum ; physiology ; Sperm Maturation ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; physiology

During epididymal transit, mammalian spermatozoa acquire new surface proteins that are necessary for gamete interaction. P34H, a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase(SDR) superfamily, is acquired on the acrosomal cap of human spermatozoon during its maturation arising within epididymis. P34H has been shown to be involved in sperm-zona pellucida interaction. Research revealed that the occurrence of low concentration of sperm protein P34H were significant amongst the idiopathic infertile male population and P34H protein could also be considered as a marker of epididymal sperm maturation in human. Therefore the level of sperm protein P34H is proposed to be a auxiliary diagnostic tool for male infertility. This paper reviews the molecular properties and regulation of the expression of P34H and its association with male reproduction.
Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase ; Fatty Acid Desaturases ; chemistry ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Male ; Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Sperm Maturation ; physiology ; Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases

AIMIn the present study, a variety of high resolution microscopy techniques were used to visualize the organization and motion of lipids and proteins in the sperm's plasma membrane. We have addressed questions such as the presence of diffusion barriers, confinement of molecules to specific surface domains, polarized diffusion and the role of cholesterol in regulating lipid rafts and signal transduction during capacitation.

METHODSAtomic force microscopy identified a novel region (EqSS) within the equatorial segment of bovine, porcine and ovine spermatozoa that was enriched in constitutively phosphorylated proteins. The EqSS was assembled during epididymal maturation. Fluorescence imaging techniques were then used to follow molecular diffusion on the sperm head.

RESULTSSingle lipid molecules were freely exchangeable throughout the plasma membrane and showed no evidence for confinement within domains. Large lipid aggregates, however, did not cross over the boundary between the post-acrosome and equatorial segment suggesting the presence of a molecular filter between these two domains.

CONCLUSIONA small reduction in membrane cholesterol enlarges or increases lipid rafts concomitant with phosphorylation of intracellular proteins. Excessive removal of cholesterol, however, disorganizes rafts with a cessation of phosphorylation. These techniques are forcing a revision of long-held views on how lipids and proteins in sperm membranes are assembled into larger complexes that mediate recognition and fusion with the egg.

Cell Membrane ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Male ; Membrane Lipids ; physiology ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; Sperm Capacitation ; physiology ; Sperm Maturation ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; physiology

More and more study on the epididymal function and sperm maturation has shown that epididymis will be one of the best target organs of male contraception, although at present there is not a male contraceptive medicine based on epididymis for clinical practice. The promoting research aspects in epididymal contraception in animal included affecting directly epididymis (such as Sulpasalazine), interfering energy metabolism and sperm mobility (such as Chlorinated Glycerol), altering the internal environment of epididymis (such as copper particles and TW19). The epididymal specific proteins could bring out some new target antigens for immunological contraception, to produce contraceptive vaccine. Some special genes, which expressed distinctively in epididymis such as SC342, bin1, have been cloned and studied on their function. These works would be helpful not only for clinical diagnosis and treatment of epididymitis and male infertility, but also for male contraceptive research and progress.
Contraception ; Contraceptive Agents, Male ; pharmacology ; Energy Metabolism ; drug effects ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Sperm Maturation ; drug effects ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects

PURPOSE: 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), one of the most potent environmental pollutants, is known to disrupt the endocrine, immune, and reproductive system. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of a panax ginseng water extract (PG-WE) on the survival rate, sperm quality, and fertility impaired by TCDD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty male guinea pigs were divided into 8 groups. The normal control group received the vehicle and saline. TCDD was intraperitoneally injected at a single dose of 1microgram/kg. A PG-WE was administered at 100 or 200mg/kg/ day 1wk prior to (P groups) or subsequent to (C groups) TCDD-exposure for 12 and 10 weeks, respectively. The G groups received the vehicle and the PG-WE of 100 or 200mg/kg/day, respectively. The parameters for the male guinea pigs were assessed for 40 weeks. The effects on the F1 generation were assessed at a growth period of F1. RESULTS: All single TCDD-treated group animals died within 18 days and the survival rate of the PG-WE-treated groups increased in a dose dependant manner. Forty to 70% of the P and C groups survived until the 40th week and reached sexual maturation. The death rate of the progeny born from the PG-WE-treated groups was significantly lower than that in the NC group (14.3%). The M/F ratio of the F1 generation in the P and C groups had higher female birth ratio. The sperm number and morphology showed no significant differences among the groups. The PG-WE increased the sperm motility in the guinea pigs exposed to TCDD. CONCLUSIONS: Panax ginseng is a useful agent that can neutralize endocrine disrupters and environmental pollutants, and help maintain a high sperm quality after a growth period.
Animals ; Environmental Pollutants ; Female ; Fertility ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Panax* ; Parturition ; Pregnancy* ; Sexual Maturation ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa* ; Survival Rate ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin* ; Water

The epididymal lumen represents a unique extracellular environment because of the active sperm maturation process that takes place within its confines. Although much focus has been placed on the interaction of epididymal secretory proteins with spermatozoa in the lumen, very little is known regarding how the complex epididymal milieu as a whole is maintained, including mechanisms to prevent or control proteins that may not stay in their native folded state following secretion. Because some misfolded proteins can form cytotoxic aggregate structures known as amyloid, it is likely that control/surveillance mechanisms exist within the epididymis to protect against this process and allow sperm maturation to occur. To study protein aggregation and to identify extracellular quality control mechanisms in the epididymis, we used the cystatin family of cysteine protease inhibitors, including cystatin-related epididymal spermatogenic and cystatin C as molecular models because both proteins have inherent properties to aggregate and form amyloid. In this chapter, we present a brief summary of protein aggregation by the amyloid pathway based on what is known from other organ systems and describe quality control mechanisms that exist intracellularly to control protein misfolding and aggregation. We then present a summary of our studies of cystatin-related epididymal spermatogenic (CRES) oligomerization within the epididymal lumen, including studies suggesting that transglutaminase cross-linking may be one mechanism of extracellular quality control within the epididymis.
Amino Acid Substitution ; Amyloid ; physiology ; standards ; Cystatin C ; Cystatins ; genetics ; Dimerization ; Epididymis ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Protein Folding ; Proteins ; standards ; Quality Control ; Sperm Maturation ; physiology ; Transglutaminases ; physiology