Capacitation-Associated Glycocomponents of Mammalian Sperm

Mammalian fertilization is a series of events that are mostly carbohydrate mediated. The male gamete glycocomponents are extensively synthesized and modified during sperm development and sperm transport in the reproductive tracts. Freshly ejaculated mammalian sperm are required to undergo capacitation, which takes place in the female reproductive system, in order to become fully fertilizable. Several lines of evidence reveal changes in glycosylated sperm constituents during capacitation. Although the contributions of these molecular changes to capacitation are not completely understood, the presence, rearrangement, and/or modification of these sperm glycocomponents have been demonstrated to be important for fertilization. The following review summarizes mammalian sperm glycoconstituents, with emphasis on their molecular changes during capacitation.