Method for inducing the acrosome reaction in human and animal spermatozoa

摘要

A method for assessing the fertilization potential of mammalian spermatozoa comprises the steps of incubating a sperm sample with extracellular ATP, determining the level of acrosine secretion from the sperm and comparing with the level of acrosine secretion from a control sample of sperm not treated with ATP. A kit for performing the assessment of fertilization potential includes sterile culture medium, sterile, preferably lyophilized ATP, sterile culture tubes and acrosine substrate. A method of inducing the acrosome reaction in sperm taken from an infertile mammal also comprises the incubation of the sperm with extracellular ATP in appropriate culture medium. Sperm treated in this manner may be used in conventional artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization procedures.