Figure 2.

Spermatozoa activation mediated by PA depends on OR51E2. (a) Time–course curve of Ca²⁺ influx in seminal fluids preincubated with α-OR51E2 or α-OR6B1 antibodies before 50 mM PA addition. The fluorescent signal at the time of acute PA injection is set to 1. The fluorescent signals recorded at 10 (middle time point) and 20 s (final time point) are obtained for statistical analysis in comparison to untreated samples (NT). Mean ± SD of six independent experiments are shown (n = 6. * = p < 0.05, one sample t-test). (b) Representative Western blot (WB) analysis of pERK and total ERK protein in sperm cells treated in time–course experiments (5, 10, and 15 min) with 50 mM PA pre-incubated or not with α-OR51E2. (c) Histogram shows the ratio of densitometric values of pERK to total ERK. The densitometric value of untreated sperm cells (NT) is arbitrarily set to 1. Mean ± SD of three independent biological replicates are shown (n = 3. * = p < 0.05, one sample t-test).