Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Antibody Binding Specificity for Kappa (Vκ) Light Chain-containing Human (IgM) Antibodies: Polysialic Acid (PSA) Attached to NCAM as a Case Study
Published on: June 29, 2016
Non-immune IgG binding to the surface of spermatozoa by disulphide rearrangement
Abstract:
The mechanism whereby immunoglobulin binds to the surface of spermatozoa was investigated. IgG reacts with spermatozoa non-specifically via the Fc portion of the molecule, while both IgM and IgA are completely unreactive. This selective binding of IgG is non-competitive, resistant to heat, proteases and non-ionic detergents and is not mediated by an Fc receptor on the sperm surface. Instead, evidence is presented that IgG covalently binds to spermatozoa by an exchange reaction between labile disulphides on both the sperm surface and IgG-Fc. It is calculated that there are 3 X 10(11) exchangeable disulphide bonds per bull spermatozoon.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Spermatogenesis
Transcytosis of IgG
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
Immunoprecipitation
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
Chromatin immunoprecipitation, also known as ChIP, is used to study protein-DNA or...
Immunogold Electron Microscopy

