Dissolution of rabbit zona by acrosomal extract: Effect of calcium

Abstract

Abstract The acrosomal extracts from rabbit spermatozoa were more effective in dissolving the zona pellucida of the rabbit ova in the absence than in the presence of Ca +2 . The extracts had high proteolytic activity but low esterolytic activity at alkaline pH in which pH effective zone hydrolysis occurred. The results suggest that acrosomal proteinases in addition to acrosin may be involved in the zona penetration.