Patent ID: 8367313

Claim:
A method of determining the effect of a test agent on the ability of sperm to respond to one or more stimuli associated with capacitation and/or acrosomal exocytosis comprising the steps of: a) obtaining sperm which have been exposed to the test agent; b) determining a G M1 distribution pattern in the sperm from step a) comprising; i) exposing the sperm to the one or more stimuli; ii) fixing the sperm in a fixative comprising paraformaldehyde, glutaraldehyde or combinations thereof; iii) staining the fixed sperm to determine the G M1 distribution pattern in the fixed test sperm which had been exposed to the test agent c) obtaining a G M1 distribution pattern of a fixed control sperm sample which has not been exposed to the test agent, but which has been exposed to the same one or more stimuli, fixed in the same fixative and stained in the same manner as the sperm in step b); d) comparing the G M1 distribution pattern of the fixed test sperm and the fixed control sperm; wherein a difference between the G M1 distribution patterns of the fixed test sperm and fixed control sperm is indicative of an effect of the test agent on the ability of sperm to respond to one or more stimuli associated with capacitation and/or acrosomal exocytosis.