228 FERTILIZATION 



The general term "gamones"' (Hartmann, M., '40) has been applied to the 

 substances produced by the gametes at the time of fertilization. The Hartmann 

 school further has identified the factor responsible for chemotaxis and acti- 

 vation as "echinochrome A," that is, the bluish-red pigment of the egg, and 

 have called it "Gynogamone I." This factor will attract sperm and stimulate 

 their movements "at the enormous dilution of 1 part in 2,500,000,000 parts 

 of water" (Brachet, J., '50, p. 96). However, Tyler has not been able to 

 detect echinochrome in the egg of the Pacific coast sea urchin, Strongylocen- 

 trotus. But the egg water of this species does activate the sperm of this species, 

 which suggests that the activating factor may be something else than echino- 

 chrome. To the agglutinating factor, M. Hartmann and his associates have 

 given the name "Gynogamone II." 



The exact identity of these gamones with particular chemical substances 

 present in the egg water at the present time is impossible. To quote from 

 J. Brachet, '50, p. 99: 



It is clear that research in this field is complicated by the fact that a number of 

 agents activate the movements of sperm (alkalinity, glutathione, echinochrome (?), 

 etc.) . . . There is strong evidence in favor of the protein nature of agglutinin, 

 while the sperm-activating principle is probably a substance with a small molecule, 

 its identity with echinochrome being doubtful at the present time. 



b) Spawning-inducing Substances. In addition to the fertilizin sub- 

 stances which act in effecting the actual contact of the sperm with the egg, 

 a spawning-inducing agent is present in the egg water of certain species. In 

 the annelid. Nereis, for example, there is something present in the egg water 

 which induces spawning in the males. Townsend ('39) suggested that this 

 substance may be glutathione, but Tyler ('48) does not readily concur with 

 this conclusion. A spawning-inducing agent is found also in the egg water of 

 oysters (Galtsoff, '40). Among the vertebrates, the spawning behavior of the 

 female appears to be the important factor in inducing the male reaction. 



b. Activities of the Male Gamete in Aiding the Actual Contact 

 of the Two Gametes 

 The activities of the male gamete, including those of seminal fluid, are 

 much more complicated and devious than those of the female gamete. These 

 activities entail: 



( 1 ) production of certain sperm secretions, 



(2) activities of large sperm numbers, 



(3) presence of a healthy seminal plasma or protective substance for the 

 sperm, and 



(4) physical movements and functioning of specific parts of the sperm cell 

 itself. 



(1) Sperm Secretions. The sperm secretions are known as androgamic sub- 

 stances or androgamones. These substances have been the object of much 



