Acrosome

The acrosome - Greek: akron ( extremely ) and soma ( body ) - or the head cap of the sperm is a lysosome, which covers the head of the sperm cell, meanwhile the cell membrane.

The acrosome is derived from the Golgi apparatus of spermatids from, is quite different in shape from species to species, but always contains hydrolyzed to enzymes such as acrosin ( a serine protease ), esterase, hyaluronidase and acid proteinases. Their action is critical to the expiration of the so-called acrosome reaction, by which the covers of the egg ( the corona radiata and zona pellucida of the oocyte ) can be dissolved and penetrated. It follows that genetic defects of these enzymes may have a male infertility result.

At the acrosome itself is morphologically the " Akrosomkappe " distinguished from the subsequent " equatorial segment ".

• Reproductive Medicine