Moore H D
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, UK.
Andrologia. 1998 Aug-Sep;30(4-5):233-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0272.1998.tb01165.x.
In fertile men, the majority of epididymal spermatozoa acquire the potential to fertilize (assessed with sperm function assays) on passage into the corpus and cauda regions of the epididymis. Although secretions of the epididymal epithelium are clearly important for sperm maturation and survival, their role in this process has yet to be fully determined. Alterations in epididymal sperm membranes may result from the incorporation of protein, sugar and lipid determinants. Most probably, factors of epididymal origin act in concert with constitutional changes to spermatozoa, which together permit full sperm function. Epididymal spermatozoa incubated with epididymal epithelial cell cultures can undergo some maturation in vitro, which can lead to the development of sperm fertilizing capacity. Co-incubations of human sperm with epididymal epithelial cultures, at 37 degrees C with medium replenished every other day, led to 50% of spermatozoa retaining motility after 8 days. In one case, a few spermatozoa survived for 17 days, the inherent maximal survival time of human spermatozoa in situ. An important aspect of coculture experiments is that close interactions between spermatozoa and epithelial cells can be examined in detail. This coculture technique may yield important information related to epididymal sperm maturation and storage.
在生育能力正常的男性中，大多数附睾精子在进入附睾体部和尾部区域时获得受精能力（通过精子功能检测评估）。虽然附睾上皮的分泌物对精子成熟和存活显然很重要，但其在这一过程中的作用尚未完全确定。附睾精子膜的改变可能是由于蛋白质、糖类和脂质决定簇的掺入。很可能，附睾来源的因子与精子的结构变化协同作用，共同使精子具备完整的功能。与附睾上皮细胞培养物一起孵育的附睾精子在体外可经历一定程度的成熟，这可导致精子受精能力的发展。人精子与附睾上皮培养物在37℃下共同孵育，每隔一天更换培养基，8天后有50%的精子保持活力。在一个案例中，少数精子存活了17天，这是人类精子在体内的固有最大存活时间。共培养实验的一个重要方面是，可以详细研究精子与上皮细胞之间的密切相互作用。这种共培养技术可能会产生与附睾精子成熟和储存相关的重要信息。
