Gossypol-induced alterations of aminophospholipid composition in human sperm were observed and the effects of some factors on these alterations were investigated.The altera- tions of aminophospholipid composition of human sperm induced by gossypoI included a progressive decrease in the levels of phosphatidylethanolamine（PE）and phosphatidylserine （PS）when gossypol concentrations ranged from 5-500μmol/L

and a progressive increase in the level of（LPE）at lower gossypol concentrations（5-50μmol/L）.The conversion of PE into lysophosphatidylethanolamine（LPE）was strongly enhanced by Ca

2+

and inhibited by 0.5mmol/L EDTA

while PMSF

NEM

iodoacetamide and Zn

2+

had no effect.This conversion was weaker in sperm with stripped surface proteins than in normal sperm. In addition

three surface proteins（MW 80

60 and 40 kD）were fixed on the plasma membrane by gossypol treatment.The significance of gossypol action and the possibility that sperm PLA

2

PE and.some surface proteins might play an important role in the physio- logical acrosome reaetion of human sperm

as well as in oocyte penetration

are discussed.