Sperm capacitation

Sperm capacitation is a set of functional changes sperm undergo in the female reproductive tract, enabling them to respond to signals that promote fertilization.

Cholesterol efflux: The removal of cholesterol from a cell membrane, changing its organization and fluidity. Loss of cholesterol from the sperm membrane is an early capacitation change.
Epididymal maturation: The final maturation process sperm undergo while passing through the epididymis after leaving the testis. It gives sperm motility and fertilizing potential before capacitation adds tract-dependent competence.
Colin Russell Austin: An Australian reproductive biologist who studied mammalian fertilization and sperm transport. Austin independently described sperm changes in the female tract that precede fertilization.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection: An assisted reproduction technique that injects a single sperm directly into an egg’s cytoplasm. Direct injection bypasses several sperm functions that capacitation normally supports.
Acrosome reaction: A regulated release of enzymes and membrane remodeling at the sperm head that helps sperm interact with the egg’s outer layers. It is a later event for which capacitation prepares sperm, not another name for capacitation.
CatSper: A calcium-permeable ion channel in the sperm tail that supports calcium signaling and motility. Capacitation-associated signaling enables CatSper activity and vigorous tail movement.
Epididymis: A coiled duct behind each testis where sperm mature and are stored before ejaculation. Capacitation follows the earlier maturation sperm acquire in this reproductive organ.
Min Chueh Chang: A Chinese-American reproductive biologist known for research on mammalian fertilization and reproductive physiology. Chang demonstrated that sperm acquire fertilizing ability after residence in the female tract.
Sperm function test: A laboratory assessment of a sperm capability beyond basic count, shape, or movement. Capacitation-related measures can probe fertilizing functions not captured by routine semen analysis.
Sperm activation: The resumption or stimulation of sperm motility and activity after a period of reduced movement. Activation can describe increased movement without encompassing capacitation’s wider fertilization-related changes.

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