INHIBITION OF FERTILIZIN AGGLUTINATION OF SPERM BY THE DERMAL SECRETION FROM ARBACIA

¹ Oceanographic Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, and Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass.

1. As demonstrated previously by Oshima (1921) and Pequegnat (1948) Arbacia release a yellowish secretion upon appropriate stimulation.

2. This dermal secretion increases the motility and oxygen consumption of sperm. The effect is not short lived and does not appear to depend upon a metal binding action.

3. The dermal secretion inhibits fertilizin agglutination of sperm. This action results from an inactivation of the specific combining sites of fertilizin. The dermal secretion does not act upon the sperm surface to inhibit agglutination. The agent in dermal secretion that inactivates fertilizin is destroyed by heating to 100° C. and fails to diffuse through cellophane.

4. The dermal secretion has no visible action on the Arbacia egg or egg jelly.

5. The dermal secretion inhibits antifertilizin precipitation of intact egg jellies. This action depends upon a heat-stable agent which precipitates antifertilizin.

6. Some properties of the dermal secretion are described. The material contains at least three distinct antigens.

7. The results are in agreement with the view that fertilizin is essential for fertilization.