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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Medium-throughput Screening Assays for Assessment of Effects on Ca2+-Signaling and Acrosome Reaction in Human Sperm
Published on: March 1, 2019
Bicarbonate secretion by the female reproductive tract and its impact on sperm fertilizing capacity
Chen-Xi Zhou1, Xiao-Fei Wang, Hsiao-Chang Chan
1Epithelial Cell Biology Research Center, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
Abstract:
The luminal fluid environment of the female reproductive tract is considered critical for the sperm to undergo a series of molecular events leading to the final acquisition of their fertilizing capacity. It has been shown that the fluid in the female reproductive tract contains high content of HCO3- and it plays an important role in sperm functions including sperm motility, capacitation, hyperactivation and acrosome reaction. This review summarizes the effects of HCO3- on sperm functions occurring in the female reproductive tract and discusses the transport mechanisms involved in mediating uterine HCO3- secretion. New evidence is also presented to show possible cause of female infertility due to defective HCO3- transporting mechanism.
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