Roles of sialic acids in sperm maturation and capacitation and sperm-egg recognition.
- Author:
Ying FENG
1
;
Lin WANG
1
;
Yi-Lun WU
1
;
Hong-Hua LIU
1
;
Fang MA
1
Author Information
1. Sichuan University - The Chinese University of Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of the Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
epididymis;
sialic acid;
sperm capacitation;
sperm maturation;
sperm-egg recognition
- From:
National Journal of Andrology
2016;22(10):944-948
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Sialic acids are a subset of nine-carbon alpha-keto aldonic acids involved in various biological functions. Sialic acid on the sperm surface is closely related to sperm maturation and capacitation and sperm-egg recognition, which makes sperm negatively charged to avoid accumulation and covers some antigenic determinants there to increase the survival rate of sperm in the female reproductive tract. The loss of sialic acids is an important factor mediating sperm capacitation. Moreover, the sialic acid at the extremity of the protein polymer is involved in signal identification in sperm-egg recognition. Here, we review the current understanding of sialic acids in sperm maturation and capacitation and sperm-egg recognition.
