Linked Life Data

9684743

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/9684743

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
7
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-10-14
pubmed:abstractText
Previously we demonstrated high concentrations of desmosterol and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) in monkey testes and sperm. Desmosterol, a cholesterol precursor, is not present elsewhere in the body. High concentrations of DHA are found elsewhere only in the retina and brain. To examine the distribution of these compounds in the heads and tails of sperm, we separated them and determined their sterol, fatty acid, and phospholipid molecular species composition. Desmosterol predominated in tails (134.4 vs. 1.7 microg/10(9) cells in heads). The cholesterol content was also greater in the tails (66.2 vs. 30.3 microg/10(9) cells in heads). Sperm tails had more polyunsaturated fatty acids than the heads (34.1 vs. 12.1% of total fatty acids) which resulted mainly from the higher contents of DHA (19.6 vs. 1.1%) and arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6) (6.4 vs. 1.6%) in the tails. These differences in fatty acid composition occurred mainly in phospholipids: phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine for n-3 fatty acids and phosphatidyl serine and cardiolipin for n-6 fatty acids. Fifteen phospholipid molecular species were identified. Sperm tails had more molecular species containing unsaturated fatty acids than the heads. Our results reveal the large differences in membrane lipid composition between the heads and tails of sperm. Most (99%) of the desmosterol and DHA in sperm is located in the tail. These differences may be responsible for the different functions of these two components of sperm. The large number of double bonds in DHA, six, and in desmosterol, two, may contribute to the membrane fluidity necessary for the motility of the sperm tails.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
0022-2275
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
39
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1404-11
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Uneven distribution of desmosterol and docosahexaenoic acid in the heads and tails of monkey sperm.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.