Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology

2010 Edition
| Editors: Ian P. Stolerman

Capacitation Function of Spermatozoa

  • Paolo Nencini
  • Michele Stanislaw Milella
Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68706-1_1317

Definition

The process that enables spermatozoa to undergo the acrosomal reaction, whose endpoints consist in the hyperactivated motility and the exocytotic release of enzymes, which are considered of major importance for the fertilization of the oocyte.

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  • Paolo Nencini
    • 1
  • Michele Stanislaw Milella
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Physiology and PharmacologySapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
  2. 2.Department of Human Physiology and PharmacologyUniversity of Rome “Sapienza"RomeItaly