Agglutination of Normal, Coated and Enzyme‐Treated Human Spermatozoa with Heterophile Agglutinins

Blood group‐specific heterophile agglutinins from plants and snails permit to distinguish between sperm cells of different blood groups. Whereas lectins from numerous plants are able to agglutinate human spermatozoa irrespective of the donor's blood group, the anti‐A from Helix pomatia reacts only with sperm cells from secretors with blood group A. After treatment with neuraminidase, however, O‐type spermatozoa are also agglutinated by the Helix pomatia agglutinin because N‐acetyl‐dgalactosamine groups become available after removal of neuraminic acid. Non‐treated O‐type spermatozoa were successfully coated with different forms of blood group A substance. The glycoprotein types of the A‐substance were found to coat reversibly, the glycolipid and lipopolysaccharide coated irreversibly.