Bovine and hamster zona solutions exhibit receptor activity for capacitated but not for noncapacitated sperm

Abstract

Hamster and bovine zonae pellucidae were dissolved by heating them in buffered saline for 35 min at 65°C and 80°C, respectively. Pretreatment of noncapacitated sperm with these solutions did not affect their binding to eggs, but the binding of cumulus-capacitated hamster sperm and of bovine sperm that had undergone a capacitation-like surface change in response to hypertonic-treatment was severely curtailed. These experiments demonstrate that such zona solutions exhibit receptor activity, but only for the capacitated sperm.