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Sea urchin sperm fertilization is significantly enhanced by soluble egg jelly, which also triggers the acrosome reaction. Sperm fertilizing capacity rapidly declines after this reaction, correlating with sperm detachment from eggs.

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Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Marine biology
  • Sperm physiology

Background:

  • Fertilization in sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) involves sperm-egg interactions.
  • The acrosome reaction is a critical step for sperm penetration of the egg.
  • Egg jelly plays a role in initiating sperm activation and fertilization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of soluble egg jelly in inducing the acrosome reaction in sea urchin sperm.
  • To determine the effect of the acrosome reaction on sperm fertilizing capacity and sperm-egg binding.
  • To establish the temporal relationship between sperm functional changes and egg interaction.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized immotile, flagella-less sperm and acid-dejellied sea urchin eggs.
  • Assessed fertilization rates with and without soluble egg jelly.
  • Quantified the acrosome reaction in sperm exposed to egg jelly.
  • Measured sperm fertilizing capacity over time after acrosome reaction induction.
  • Observed sperm binding to formaldehyde-fixed eggs over time.

Main Results:

  • Soluble egg jelly increased fertilization rates from 11% to 90.5%.
  • Egg jelly induced the acrosome reaction in over 50% of sperm, compared to 3-5% without jelly.
  • Sperm fertilizing capacity decreased rapidly (50% loss by 23 sec) after the acrosome reaction.
  • Sperm binding to fixed eggs peaked at 40 sec and then decreased, with no attachment by 240 sec.
  • Sperm detachment from fixed eggs correlated temporally with the loss of fertilizing capacity.

Conclusions:

  • Soluble egg jelly is a potent inducer of the sea urchin sperm acrosome reaction.
  • The acrosome reaction is essential for fertilization but leads to a rapid loss of sperm fertilizing capacity.
  • Sperm detachment from eggs after the acrosome reaction is closely linked to the loss of their ability to fertilize.