Seminal Plasma Biochemistry II Seminal Plasma and Spermatozoal Cytidine Monophosphate-Sialic Acid Synthetase and Sialyltransferase Activities

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Abstract
The zona pellucida receptor for spermatozoa was not identified and the mechanism by which spermatozoa transverse the zona pellucida was not elucidated. The zone pellucida receptor may be a glycoprotein and the receptor per se may be galactosamine or N-acetyl galactosamine. The mechanism by which spermatozoa transverse the zona pellucida may be by its structural modification, by the transfer of spermatozoal sialic acid. In addition, male infertility resulting from oligozoospermia or polyzoospermia, may be due to lack of spermatozoal bound sialyltransferase. A total of 43 semen samples were examined for CMP-sialic acid synthetase and sialyltransferase activities. Both these enzymes are present in seminal plasma and bound to the spermatozoa. The spermatozoal bound enzymes may be derived from the seminal plasma which may be a limiting factor in terms of fertility.