Objective: To visualize progesterone (P) binding sites on the sperm surface, examine the relationship between hormone binding and hormone action (acrosome reaction), and determine the size of the hormone-responsive sperm subpopulation.
Design: Kinetic analysis of P binding was combined with the assessment of the hormone effect using a fluorescent acrosomal marker.
Setting: Private hospital, medical research center, and a university-based andrological laboratory.
Patients, participants: Sperm samples were from healthy volunteers with normal spermiogram values.
Interventions: None.
Main outcome measures: Progesterone binding was analyzed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry using P coupled to fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled bovine serum albumin. Tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate-labeled Pisum sativum agglutinin was used as acrosomal marker in double-labeling experiments.
Results: After in vitro capacitation, only few spermatozoa (approximately 10%) were able to bind P to the cell surface, but most of these cells subsequently generated the acrosome reaction in response to hormone binding.
Conclusions: The expression of P receptor sites on the human sperm surface is a major factor controlling the P-induced acrosome reaction. Further studies are warranted to explore if defective expression of the receptor can compromise fertility.