The sterol and sterol sulfate content of the male hamster reproductive tract

Abstract

Desmosterol and its sulfate are the major components (60%) of the sterol fraction of hamster spermatozoa obtained from the cauda epididymis. Cholesterol represents only 10% of this fraction. The concentration of desmosteryl sulfate associated with the spermatozoa increases 18-fold during their transit through the epididymis while that of unesterified desmosterol remains unchanged. Unesterified cholesterol associated with the spermatozoa diminishes 10-fold during passage through the epididymis. In the testis, very low concentrations of sterol sulfate are found, whereas in epididymal tissue appreciable amounts are found. This finding would indicate the synthesis of sterol sulfates by the epididymis. In epididymal tissue, the ratio of cholesterol precursors, either free or sulfurylated, vs cholesterol is high and this ratio increases from the caput to the cauda region. A diminished Δ 24-reductase activity in epididymal tissue would account for this high ratio of desmosterol/cholesterol.