[The effect of lectins on human spermatozoa in the capillary sperm penetration test].

The effect of the commercial lectin (Con A, PHA, SRA, WGA and UEA) as well as of the prepared by us extract from roots of Arum maculatum (Am and AM 80 degrees C) was studied on migration of human spermatozoa in bovine estrous cervical mucus, using the capillary sperm penetration test of Kremmer. It was established that Con A, PHA and AM inhibited the migration of spermatozoa in a concentration, in which they agglutinated human spermatozoa in vitro. Nonagglutinating human spermatozoa SBA and AM 80 degrees C inhibited also the migration of spermatozoa in the mucus.

[A method of determining dehydrogenase activity of human spermatozoa].

The authors present a quantitative method for the evaluation of biologic activity of human spermatozoa by determining their dehydrogenase activity by tetrazolium salts. The method is based on the property of these salts to change during biochemical reduction from colorless water soluble compounds into insoluble compounds in water compounds (phormazanes), which remain at the site of the reduction, e.g.

[Localization of receptors for phytospermoagglutinin from Arum maculatum on human spermatogenic cells and spermatozoa].

Our precious studies showed that delipidized water-saline extract from roots of Arum maculatum (AM) contained lectin-phytospermoagglutinins (PSA), which caused agglutination, manifested by the type of a tail with a tail and a head with a tail. This extract we conjugated with fluorescein-isothiocyanate and by means of the conjugate we studied the localization of receptor molecules for PSA on the plasmalemma of human spermatogenic cells and human spermatozoa, obtained from the testis, epididymis and ejaculate. It was established that receptor molecules for PSA were distributed irregularly on the plasmalemma of spermatozoa, that the basic part of these molecules were synthesized on spermatogenic cells and that ejaculate spermatozoa adsorbed such molecules from the sperm plasma.