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Oviductal high concentration of K+ suppresses hyperpolarization but does not prevent hyperactivation, acrosome reaction and in vitro fertilization in hamsters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 October 2020

Gen L. Takei Open the ORCID record for Gen L. Takei [Opens in a new window]  and
Hiroe Kon
Gen L. Takei*
Affiliation:
Department of Regulatory Physiology, Dokkyo Medical University 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu-Machi, Shimotsuga-gun, Tochigi, 321-0293Japan
Hiroe Kon
Affiliation:
Laboratory Animal Research Center, Dokkyo Medical University 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu-Machi, Shimotsuga-gun, Tochigi, 321-0293Japan
*
Author for correspondence: Gen Leon Takei. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dokkyo Medical University 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu-Machi, Shimotsuga-gun, Tochigi, 321–0293Japan. E-mail: takei@dokkyomed.ac.jp
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Summary

Mammalian sperm have to undergo capacitation to be fertilization competent. Capacitated sperm in vitro show hyperpolarization of the membrane potential. It has been reported that in mouse membrane hyperpolarization is necessary for the acrosome reaction. We recently found that the fluid of the hamster oviduct, where fertilization occurs, contained a high potassium (K+) concentration (~20 mEq/l). This high K+ concentration could depolarize the membrane potential and prevent the acrosome reaction/fertilization. Conversely, some beneficial effects on capacitation of high K+ concentration or a high K/Na ratio were also reported. In the present study, we investigated the effects of oviduct high K+ concentration on hamster sperm capacitation-associated events and fertilization. The present study confirmed that, in hamster sperm, membrane potential was hyperpolarized upon in vitro capacitation, indicating that capacitation-associated hyperpolarization is a universal phenomenon among mammalian species. An increase in KCl concentration in the medium to 20 mM significantly depolarized the membrane potential and suppressed hyperpolarization when in the presence of >101 mM NaCl. However, an increase in the KCl concentration to 20 mM did not significantly affect the percentage of motile sperm, hyperactivation or the acrosome reaction. No effect of 20 mM KCl on in vitro fertilization was observed. In addition, no correlative changes in hyperactivation and the acrosome reaction with K/Na ratio were observed. These results suggested that in hamsters the oviduct K+ concentration suppressed hyperpolarization but had no effect on capacitation and in vitro fertilization. Our results raised a question over the physiological significance of capacitation-associated hyperpolarization.

Keywords

Acrosome reactionFertilizationHyperpolarizationPotassium ionSperm capacitation
Type
Research Article
Information
Zygote , Volume 29 , Issue 1 , February 2021 , pp. 66 - 74
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

*

Present address: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dokkyo Medical University 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu-Machi, Shimotsuga-gun, Tochigi, 321-0293 Japan.

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