Is the acrosome reaction a prerequisite for sperm incorporation after intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)?

Abstract

There is debate as to whether the acrosome reaction is necessary for sperm incorporation after intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Ultrastructural evidence is presented to show that the acrosome reaction could occur in the ooplasm before sperm incorporation in mature human oocytes or the acrosome could be discarded intact before sperm incorporation in immature oocytes, matured in vitro. Both germinal vesicle and growing follicular oocytes showed sperm chromatin decondensation, with discarded acrosomes close to the sites of incorporation, and were able to form male pronuclei. This is probably the first report of microfertilization of a growing oocyte with a reticulate nucleolus by ICSI. The acrosome reaction, when it occurs, is preceded by acrosome swelling and is followed by vesiculation of surface membranes exposing the inner acrosome membrane, as observed on the surface of the zona during IVF or in the perivitelline space after subzonal sperm injection. These sperm were probably capacitated at the time of ICSI. There was subtle evidence of leaching of the acrosomal matrix from intact discarded acrosomes and from partially depleted acrosomes attached to decondensing spermheads. These sperm were probably not fully capacitated at the time of ICSI. It is concluded that both the acrosome reaction and acrosome deletion are possible prerequisites to sperm incorporation after ICSI.