Purification and characterization of a sperm-coating antigen from human seminal plasma.

A sperm-coating antigen has been purified from human seminal plasma by a combination of fractionation methods including ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, and diethylaminoethyl cellulose ion-exchange chromatography. The purified antigen was demonstrated to be immunologically identical sperm-coating antigen, not derived from blood serum but having immunologically cross-relating antigens in milk and saliva, and a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of approximately 33,000. The purpose of purifying this antigen was discussed.