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Abstract
Infertility in men is currently increasing and, if this trend continues, may become a major problem in the 21st Century. This review describes the discovery and potential physiological role of a novel peptide, fertilization promoting peptide (FPP). This peptide is structurally similar to thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) and is found in high concentrations in the prostate gland and semen of mammals. Substantial amounts are also present in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Physiological concentrations of FPP cause a marked increase in the fertilising ability of mouse epididymal spermatozoa as assessed by in vitro fertilisation and the chlortetracycline (CTC) fluorescence assay. In the future, FPP may provide a new therapy for some cases of unexplained male infertility.