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. 1988 Dec;21(4):353-8.
doi: 10.1002/mrd.1120210404.

Role for fucose-sulfate-rich carbohydrates in the penetration of zona-pellucida-free hamster eggs by hamster spermatozoa

J E Dravland  1 , D Mortimer
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Role for fucose-sulfate-rich carbohydrates in the penetration of zona-pellucida-free hamster eggs by hamster spermatozoa

J E Dravland et al. Gamete Res. 1988 Dec.

Abstract

The interaction of acrosome-reacted hamster spermatozoa and zona-pellucida-free hamster eggs was investigated by incubating gametes in the presence of a variety of simple and complex carbohydrates. Significant inhibition of gamete fusion was achieved only in the presence of fucoidan and ascophyllin, two algal polysaccharides containing fucose sulfate. These compounds did not interfere with sperm motility, capacitation, or acrosome reactions. It is concluded that these two compounds share common structural features with putative cell-surface carbohydrates involved in sperm-oolemmal interaction.

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