British Andrology Society Workshop: sperm interactions with epithelia and their products

The British Andrology Workshop entitled Sperm interactions with epithelia and their products focused on the contribution of epididymal and oviductal epithelia and seminal fluid to the development of sperm function. The workshop also featured a state-of-the-art lecture entitled 'Activation of amino acid neurotransmitter receptor/chloride channels and sperm function'. Topics explored in the main body of the workshop included: the signalling pathways that might be functional in spermatozoa; whether differential subcellular localization of potential pathway components might play a role; what information could be gained from non-sperm cells; and the role of steroid hormones as potential effectors in sperm signal transduction. Tyrosine phosphorylation of downstream target proteins in spermatozoa was discussed and data were presented that supported a role for fertilization promoting peptide (FPP) in regulating sperm function in the female tract. Speakers revisited and challenged the idea that specific epididymal secretory proteins play a direct and active part in sperm functional maturation and raised the possibility that through binding and integration of DNA, spermatozoa could act as a vector for the incorporation of foreign genetic information. The roles of hyaluronic acid in maintaining sperm viability and promoting sperm capacitation and as a marker of sperm maturity were explored. Data were presented on sperm storage in birds. The workshop concluded with presentations on the potential roles of direct binding of spermatozoa to oviductal cells and their interaction with oviductal fluid components in the final preparation for successful fertilization.