Ho Wing Ki Vicky. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 191-211). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstracts --- p.i / Abstracts in Chinese --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Table of Abbreviations --- p.vi / Table of Contents --- p.ix / List of Figures and Tables --- p.xiv / Chapter Chapter 1 --- General Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1. --- The Male Accessory Sex Glands --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.1. --- The Prostatic Complex --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.2. --- The Coagulating Gland --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.3. --- The Seminal Vesicles --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.4. --- The Ampullary Gland --- p.6 / Chapter 1.1.5. --- The Cowper's gland --- p.6 / Chapter 1.1.6. --- The Littre's Gland --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2. --- The Uterus --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.1. --- The Structure of Uterus --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.2. --- The Endometrium --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3. --- Identifications of Proteins by Two Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis and Matrix-assisted Laser Adsorption / ionization Time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.1. --- Principle of Two Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.2. --- Principle of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4. --- Hypothesis and Aim of this Study --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4.1. --- Hypothesis --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4.2. --- Aim --- p.13 / Legends and Figures --- p.14 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- The Effect of Omission of Male Accessory Sex Gland Secretions on Post Coital Uterine Fluid --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1. --- Introduction --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.1. --- Uterine Fluid at the Time of Mating --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.2. --- Ventral Prostate Secretory Proteins --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.3. --- Proteins Specifically Bind to Sperm Membrane --- p.22 / Aim of Study --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2. --- Materials and Methods --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.1. --- Animal Model --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.1.1. --- Female golden hamsters --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.1.2. --- Male golden hamsters --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2.2. --- Collections of Biological Samples --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.2.1. --- Female Hamster Serum --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.2.2. --- Uterine Fluid --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.2.3. --- Uterine Tissues --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2.2.4. --- Ejaculated Sperm in Uterus --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2.2.5. --- ASG Secretions --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2.2.6. --- ASG Tissues --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.2.7. --- Epididymal Sperm --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.3. --- Isolation and Purification of Sperm Binding Ventral Prostate Proteins (SBVPP) --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.3.1. --- Plasma Membrane Protein from Epididymal Sperm --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.3.2. --- Affinity Chromatography --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2.3.3. --- FPLC Gel Filtration --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2.4. --- Histology of Flushed Uterus --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2.5. --- Quantification of Protein --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2.6. --- Two dimensional Electrophoresis --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2.6.1. --- First DimensiońؤIsoelectric Focusing --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2.6.2. --- Second DimensiońؤSDS PAGE --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2.6.3. --- Visualization of Protein Spots --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2.7. --- Identification of Proteins --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.7.1. --- Protein Spots Detection --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.7.2. --- MALDI-TOF --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.7.2.1. --- In-Gel Digestion for MALDI-TOF --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.7.2.2. --- MALDI-TOF Analysis --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.7.2.3. --- MALDI-TOF Data Analysis --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.8. --- Confirmation of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.9. --- Confirmation of Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.10. --- Confirmation of Tumor Necrosis Factor Stimulated Gene-6 (TSG-6) --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.11. --- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3. --- Results --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.1. --- Morphology of Flushed Uterus --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.2. --- Protein Concentration --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.3. --- "Serum, Pre and Post Coital Uterine Fluid Protein Profiles" --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.4. --- ASG Secretory Proteins and Their Fate After mating --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.4.1. --- ASG Secretory Proteins and 1 hp.c. Uterine Fluid --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.4.2. --- VP Secretory Proteins and SBVPP --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.4.3. --- PAP and PSA --- p.41 / Chapter 2.3.5. --- Protein Profile at 1 h p.c --- p.41 / Chapter 2.3.6. --- Protein Profile at 4 h p. c --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.7. --- Identification of Proteins Differentially Expressed by the Three Groups at 1 h p .c --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.7.1. --- Confirmation of TSG-6 --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.8. --- SEM --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4. --- Discussion --- p.45 / Chapter 2.5. --- Conclusion --- p.55 / Legends and Figures --- p.56 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- The Effect of Omission of Male Accessory Sex Glands Secretions on Periimplanation Uterine Fluid Proteins --- p.114 / Chapter 3.1. --- Introduction --- p.115 / Chapter 3.1.1. --- Cytokine & Growth Factor --- p.115 / Chapter 3.1.1.1. --- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) --- p.115 / Chapter 3.1.1.2. --- Leukaemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) --- p.116 / Chapter 3.1.1.3. --- Insulin-like Growth Factors (IGFs) --- p.116 / Chapter 3.1.1.4. --- Interleukin 1 (IL-1) --- p.117 / Chapter 3.1.1.5. --- Adhesion Molecule --- p.118 / Chapter 3.1.2. --- Uterine Secretory Proteins --- p.118 / Chapter 3.1.2.1. --- Estrogen Dependent Protein --- p.119 / Chapter 3.1.2.2. --- Progestin-Dependent Endometrial Protein --- p.120 / Chapter 3.1.2.3. --- Uteroglobin --- p.121 / Chapter 3.1.2.4. --- Uteroferrin --- p.122 / Chapter 3.1.2.5. --- Prolactin --- p.123 / Chapter 3.1.2.6. --- Glycodelin --- p.123 / Chapter 3.2. --- Aim of Study --- p.124 / Chapter 3.3. --- Method and Materials --- p.124 / Chapter 3.3.1. --- Animal and Surgery --- p.125 / Chapter 3.3.2. --- Collection of Biological Samples --- p.125 / Chapter 3.3.2.1. --- Uterine Fluid --- p.125 / Chapter 3.3.2.2. --- Uterine Tissue --- p.125 / Chapter 3.3.3. --- Quantification of Protein --- p.125 / Chapter 3.3.4. --- Two Dimensional Electrophoresis --- p.125 / Chapter 3.3.5. --- Identification of Proteins --- p.126 / Chapter 3.3.6. --- Confirmation of Growth Differentiation Factor-8 (DGF-8) by PCR --- p.126 / Chapter 3.3.7. --- Confirmation of GDF-8 by Western Blotting --- p.126 / Chapter 3.4. --- Results --- p.128 / Chapter 3.4.1. --- Protein Concentration --- p.128 / Chapter 3.4.2. --- 60 Hours Post Coitum --- p.128 / Chapter 3.4.2.1. --- Protein Profile --- p.128 / Chapter 3.4.2.2. --- Differentially Expressed Protein Spots and Proteins Identification --- p.129 / Chapter 3.4.3. --- 72 Hours Post Coitum --- p.129 / Chapter 3.4.3.1. --- Protein Profile --- p.129 / Chapter 3.4.3.2. --- Differentially Expressed Protein Spots and Proteins Identification --- p.130 / Chapter 3.4.3.3. --- Confirmation of Growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8) --- p.130 / Chapter 3.5. --- Discussion --- p.132 / Chapter 3.6. --- Conclusion --- p.139 / Legends and Figures --- p.140 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- General Conclusion --- p.186 / Chapter 4.1. --- Conclusion --- p.187 / Chapter 4.2. --- Further Studies --- p.190 / References --- p.191 / Appendices --- p.212

The present study was carried out to examine the chemopreventive effects of curcumin and green tea polyphenols on the hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis model. This model of oral carcinogenesis has been widely used in chemoprevention studies, however, these studies have been limited to the use of DMBA as the carcinogenic agent. We have developed a protocol of carcinogenesis in the hamster cheek pouch using B[a]P, a broadly distributed environmental carcinogen, formed as a by-product of the combustion of organic materials including cigarette smoke. B[a]P- induced tumors in the hamster cheek pouch are primarily endophytic squamous cell carcinomas that closely resemble squamous cell carcinomas of the human oral mucosa. The cheek pouch of male Syrian hamsters were treated topically for eight weeks with 0.6% curcumin, 6.0% curcumin, 2.5% green tea polyphenols, or 5.0% green tea polyphenols, 3 times per week 30 minutes prior to the application of 2.0% B[a]P. The animals were sacrificed 24 hours and 72 hours after the last treatments. Short-term mechanistic markers of malignant progression were used to determine effects of each compound. Cellular proliferation, assessed by bromodeoxyuridine (Brdu) incorporation, p53 protein accumulation, and apoptotic activity were evaluated. The results of the present study demonstrated that 0.6% curcumin and 2.5% green tea polyphenols had strong inhibitory effects on cellular proliferation and p53 protein accumulation. And 6.0% curcumin and 5.0% green tea polyphenols appeared to induce apoptosis. Our data suggest that curcumin and green tea polyphenols may have a plausible chemopreventive effect on oral carcinogenesis in the hamster cheek pouch model.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2001. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-128).

published_or_final_version / Anatomy / Master / Master of Philosophy

Oviductin is an oviduct-specific and high-molecular-weight glycoprotein that has been suggested to play important roles in the early events of reproduction. The present study was undertaken to localize the oviductin binding sites in the uterine epithelial cells of the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) both in situ and in vitro, and to detect a hamster oviductin homologue in the female rat reproductive tract. Immunohistochemical localization of oviductin in the hamster uterus revealed certain uterine epithelial cells reactive to the monoclonal anti-hamster oviductin antibody. In order to study the interaction between hamster oviductin and the endometrium in vitro, a method for culturing primary hamster uterine epithelial cells has been established and optimized. Study with confocal microscopy of the cell culture system showed a labeling pattern similar to what was observed using immunohistochemistry. Pre-embedding immunolabeling of cultured uterine epithelial cells also showed gold particles associated with the plasma membrane and microvilli. These results demonstrated that hamster oviductin can bind to the plasma membrane of certain hamster uterine epithelial cells, suggesting the presence of a putative oviductin receptor on the uterine epithelial cell surface. In the second part of the present study, using the monoclonal anti-hamster oviductin antibody that cross-reacts with the rat tissue, we have been able to detect an oviduct-specific glycoprotein, with a molecular weight of 180~300kDa, in the female rat reproductive tract. Immunohistochemical labeling of the female rat reproductive tract revealed a strong immunolabeling in the non-ciliated oviductal epithelial cells and a faint immunoreaction on the cell surface of some uterine epithelial cells. Ultrastructurally, immunogold labeling was restricted to the secretory granules, Golgi apparatus, and microvilli of the non-ciliated secretory cells of the oviduct. In the uterus, immunogold labeling was observed on the cell surface of some uterine epithelial cells. Furthermore, electron micrographs of ovulated oocytes showed an intense immunolabeling for rat oviductin within the perivitelline space surrounding the ovulated oocytes. The findings of the present study demonstrated that oviductin is present in the rat oviduct and uterus, and it appears that, in the rat, oviductin is secreted by the non-ciliated secretory cells of the oviduct. / Thesis (Master, Anatomy & Cell Biology) -- Queen's University, 2008-02-28 10:26:46.836 / This work was sponsored by Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2004. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 287-315).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1972. / Title from title page screen, viewed Sept. 23, 2004. Dissertation Committee: Mathew J. Nadakavukaren, John L. Frehn (co-chairs), Herman Brockman, Arthur Merrick, Joseph Tsang. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-148) and abstract. Also available in print.

Orientadores: Miguel Arcanjo Areas, Maria Cristina Cintra Gomes Marcondes / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-25T03:27:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pinto_WagnerdeJesus_M.pdf: 4981054 bytes, checksum: 8e0b5b3ccff1629ebe791fefe194bfeb (MD5) Previous issue date: 1999 / Resumo: Os avanços tecnológicos na indústria de alimentos colaboraram para que as fibras alimentares - material da parede celular das células vegetais e resistentes a ação de enzimas do trato digestivo humano - fossem sendo excluídas das dietas das populações. Porém, rapidamente estudos epidemiológicos demonstraram a relação inversa entre a ingestão de fibras alimentares e as doenças crônico-degenerativas. Assim, por exercerem importantes efeitos fisiológicos na prevenção de doenças como o diabetes e a aterosclerose torna-se importante o conhecimento de novas e mais eficientes fontes de fibras alimentares. As fontes de fibras selecionadas para este estudo foram a polpa de laranja, subproduto da produção do suco e a goma guar. A polpa de laranja foi misturada com a goma guar, uma fonte de fibra altamente solúvel, na proporção de 100 gramas de polpa/40 gramas de goma guar, dando origem a mistura polpa de laranja/goma guar (PLG), objeto de nosso estudo. A PLG apresentou as seguintes características e composição: 76,12% de fibra. alimentar total com predomínio da fração solúvel (43,54%) em relação a insolúvel (32,58%), 6,7% de proteína, 7,9% de gordura, 2,6% de açúcares, granulometria com 89,7% de partículas pequenas (menor que 200j.Jm), 10,3% de partículas de tamanho médio (200 a 500 j.Jm), densidade aparente de 0,17 g/mL e capacidade de hidratação de 13,3 g de água/g de amostra seca. No ensaio biológico foram utilizados hamsters sírios da variedade "Golden" adultos compondo quatro grupos: C (controle), grupo que consumiu dieta padrão segundo a AIN-93; CF (controle-fibra), grupo que consumiu a dieta AIN-93 com 20% da PLG; H (hipercolesterolêmico), grupo que consumiu a dieta AIN-93 com 2% de colesterol; HF (hipercolesterolêmico-fibra), grupo que consumiu a dieta hipercolesterolêmica com 20% da PLG. Os animais foram mantidos em gaiolas metabólicas individuais, pelo período de 15 dias, recebendo alimentação e água ad libitum. Os resultados mostraram que os grupos que ingeriram a PLG (CF e HF) apresentaram menor consumo de dieta, menor ganho de peso corpóreo, redução do tempo de trânsito intestinal inicial e aumento da freqüência de defecação quando comparados com seus controles (C e H), respectivamente. Além disso, o grupo HF, em relação ao H, apresentou redução significativa da deposição de gordura nos hepatócitos, do peso relativo do fígado, colesterol hepático, do colesterol e triglicerídeos totais plasmáticos, da freqüência cardíaca e da pressão arterial média. Por outro lado, o grupo CF apresentou somente redução do peso do fígado, quando comparado ao grupo C. Os resultados sugerem efeitos protetores da mistura PLG à indução da hipercolesterolemia podendo ser creditados à redução da biodisponibilidade de lipídios da dieta devido aos efeitos da PLG sobre a função gastrointestinal. Conclui-se, portanto que a mistura PLG em estudo pode ser utilizada como recurso preventivo contra alterações metabólicas decorrentes da ingestão de dietas hipercolesterolêmicas / Abstract: The technological advances in the food industry contributed to the exclusion of the dietary fibers - material of the vegetable cellular wall and resistant to the action of enzymes of the human digestive tract - from the diets of the industrialized populations. Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated the inverse relationship between the ingestion of dietary fibers and the chronic-degenerative diseases. Thus, because of their important physiologic effects in the prevention of diseases like diabetes and the atherosclerose it is important to search for new and more efficient sources of dietary fibers. The sources of fibers selected for this study were the orange pulp, by-product of the production of the orange juice and the guar gum. The orange pulp was mixed with the guar gum, a fiber source highly soluble, in the proportion of 100 grams of pulp/40 grams of guar gum, producing the PLG mix. PLG presented the following characteristics and composition: 76.12% of total dietary fiber with prevalence of the soluble fraction (43.54%) in relation to insoluble (32.58%), 6.7% of protein, 7.9% of fat, 2.6% of sugars, size particles with 89.7% of small particles (smaller than 200!-lm), 10.3% of particles of medium size (200 to 500 !-1m), apparent density of 0.17 g/mL and capacity of hydration of 13.3 9 of water/g of dry sample. For the biological assay adult Golden Syrian hamsters was used in four groups: C (controls), group that consumed regular diet according to the AIN-93; CF (control-fiber), group tha1 consumed AIN-93 diet with 20% of PLG; H (hypercholesterolemic), group that consumed the AIN-93 diet with 2% of cholesterol; coconut oil HF (hypercholesterolemic-fiber), group tha1 consumed the hypercholesterolemic diet with 20% of PLG. The animais were maintained in individual metabolic cages for the period of 15 days, receiving food and water ad libitum. The results showed that the groups that ingested PLG (CF and HF) presented smaller diet consumption, smaller gain of body weight, reduction of the time of initial intestinal traffic and increase of the defecation frequency when compared with its controls (C and H), respectively. Besides, the group HF, as compared to H, presented significant reduction of the fat deposition in the hepatocytes, liver weight and hepatic cholesterol, as well as reduction in plasma total cholesterol and triglicerydes, heart frequency and blood pressure. On the other hand, the group CF presented only reduction of the weight of the liver, when compared to the group C. These results suggest protective effects of the PLG mix against induction of the hypercholesterolemia. This be credited to the reduction of the bioavailability of dietary lipids due to the effects of PLG on the gastropintestinal function. Therefore, the PLG mix in study can be used as preventive resource against current metabolic alterations caused by ingestion of hypercholesterolemics diets / Mestrado / Fisiologia / Mestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Orientador: Jose Lopes de Faria / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-14T20:34:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fabris_VicianyErique_D.pdf: 4911472 bytes, checksum: 472621141dde776bb17f526799c20f44 (MD5) Previous issue date: 1976 / Resumo: Inoculamos 26 hamsters (grupo 1) por via intra-testicular com 0,2ml de supensão de cultura de P. brasiliensis (cepa 18) a fim de produzir Paracoccidioidomicose experimental e com isto induzir o desenvolvimento de amiloidose nestes animais. Neste grupo, estudamos a microscopia optica e ultra-estrutural dos rins com amiloidose. Um outro grupo de animais foi inoculado de modo semelhante e em período diferente com a cepa 102 de P. brasiliensis (grupo 3), afim de se coletar destes animais urina e soro para as provas de função renal e eletroforese e imunoeletroferese de proteinas ¿Observação: O resumo, na íntegra poderá ser visualizado no texto completo da tese digital. / Abstract: Not informed. / Doutorado / Doutor em Ciências Médicas

Fertilization is a process that generates the first cell of a new organism. In mammals, fertilization occurs in the female reproductive tract. The male gametes (spermatozoa) are rendered fertilization-competent only after they undergo capacitation and acrosome reaction (AR). The set of physiological changes, characterised by the acquisition of hyperactivated motility, that render the spermatozoa fertilization competent is known as capacitation. Using in vitro models, the complex intracellular signaling events mediating this process are still being understood. This thesis explores the role of protein tyrosine phosphorylation during capacitation using the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) spermatozoa. The knowledge about the molecular components involved in capacitation, apart from enriching our understanding about a basic cellular process could also provide leads in the management of male (in)fertility. A comprehensive review on the perspectives of male reproduction, spermatogenesis, the structural features of a spermatozoon and sperm maturation, relevant to the content of the thesis is provided in Chapter-1 (General Introduction). Molecular mediators that initiate capacitation include cAMP, Ca2+and HCO3- ions. These signalling molecules regulate activities of protein kinases and phosphatases, which control the level of protein phosphorylation in spermatozoa. Capacitation-associated increase in protein phosphorylation, specifically protein tyrosine phosphorylation (PYP) has been demonstrated in a few species such as mouse, rat and human. The unique nature of PYP signaling during sperm capacitation has been exemplified by discoveries of several male germ cell-specific signalling molecules like soluble adenylate cyclase. However,molecular identities of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins and their functional role during sperm capacitation are yet to be investigated in detail. In this context, the effect of modulating intracellular levels of signaling molecules upstream of protein phosphorylation was sought using pentoxifylline (PF), a cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Interestingly, PF-induced capacitation was associated with an early induction of tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins (45-80 kDa) localized to the mid piece of the sperm tail. Interestingly, the ultrastructural localization of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in the sperm tail by immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) revealed most intense immunolabelling in the fibrous sheath, followed by outer dense fibers (ODFs)and the axoneme. Data pertaining to the effect of PF on sperm capacitation and the associated protein-phosphorylation is presented in Chapter-2. Since PYP was determined to be extremely critical for hyperactivation in spermatozoa, the involvement of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) in this process was assessed using a specific PTK inhibitor, tyrphostin A47 (TP-47: EGFR-TK specific). The third chapter deals with the effect of tyrphostins on sperm capacitation and PYP. A dose-dependent inhibition by TP-47 of capacitation and principal piece associated-PYP of ~45-60 kDa proteins was observed. Interestingly, TP-47 treated-spermatozoa exhibited a circular motility pattern; when assessed for kinematic parameters, by computer aided sperm analysis, sperm showed lower values for key kinematic parameters as compared to the controls. While sperm viability in TP-47- treated samples was not affected, the ATP content reduced towards latter (4-5 h) part of culture as compared to the controls. When spermatozoa were treated with two other PTK inhibitors, tyrphostin AG1478 (EGFR-TK specific) and tyrphostin AG1296 (PDGFR-TK specific), they did not show any changes in kinematic parameters or PYP, indicating that the TP-47-effect was compound-specific. The fourth chapter of this thesis involves the molecular analysis of proteins hypo-tyrosine phosphorylated in the presence of TP-47, which started with the enrichment of sperm flagellar proteins that are tyrosine phosphorylated during capacitation, using various detergents. Detergent extractions established that most tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were non-membranous in nature, which complemented the IEM data. Therefore, phosphoproteome analysis of the untreated and TP-47-treated sperm samples was performed. For this, protein extracts were subjected to 2D-PAGE-phosphotyrosine immunoblots. A 51 kDa spot and two 45 kDa spots, corresponding to the hypo-tyrosine phosphorylated spots, were analyzed by MS/MS. While peptides from the 51 kDa protein matched with tektin-2 (a microtubular protein), those of the 45 kDa spots matched with ODF-2 protein of the sperm flagellum. Validation of the presence of tektin-2 and ODF-2 protein and their tyrosine-phosphorylated forms on sperm capacitation in the hamster spermatozoa has also been performed. In addition to detailing the role of PYP in hamster sperm capacitation, this study revealed the identities of a few of these proteins, whose tyrosine phosphorylated status could be critical for optimal sperm flagellar bending, required for sperm hyperactivation. By understanding causes that lead to altered sperm function, for example, as observed with hamster spermatozoa, new insights could be achieved into molecular regulatory mechanisms that govern sperm function in clinical cases of non-obstructive male infertility in the human.