Fig. 7

Immunolocation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation (Tyr-P) on boar epididymal sperm subjected to different bicarbonate concentrations. Sperm were incubated for 1 and 60 min in capacitating medium (TALP) containing different concentrations of HCO₃⁻ (0 mmol/L, 5 mmol/L, 15 mmol/L and 25 mmol/L) and non-capacitating medium (NCAP) in 4 replicates. A) and B) Capacitation status at 1 and 60 min of incubation, respectively: percentage of sperm with low capacitation status (pattern I: non-phosphorylated or head- and/or flagellum-phosphorylated spermatozoa), medium capacitation status (pattern II: equatorial segment or equatorial segment and flagellum phosphorylated) or high capacitation status (pattern III: equatorial segment and head and/or flagellum phosphorylated). C) Pattern IV: flagellum phosphorylation regardless of phosphorylation in other locations at 1 and 60 min of incubation. Results are shown as mean ± SEM. Different letters (a-c) for the same time of incubation and pattern indicate statistically significant differences (P < 0.05)