We demonstrated previously the involvement of a nicotinic acetylcholinereceptor containing
an α7 subunit in the human sperm acrosome reaction (a modified exocytotic event essential
to fertilization). Here we report thepresence in human sperm of α7, α9, α3, α5, and
β4nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits and the following proteins known tobe
associated with the receptor in the somatic cell: rapsyn and the tyrosinekinases c-SRC and
FYN. The α7 subunit appears to exist as a homomer inthe posterior post-acrosomal and …