More than a decade ago, the unexpected finding of olfactory receptor expression in human testicular tissue led to speculation about a potential role of these chemoreceptors in various aspects of mature sperm behavior, especially sperm chemotaxis. Recently, first evidence in favor of this hypothesis was provided by the identification of hOR17-4, a testicular olfactory receptor that mediates human sperm chemotaxis in various bioassays. A detailed characterization of the receptor's molecular receptive range as well as the first description of a potent receptor antagonist could provide the basis for future applications in fertility treatment with important consequences in procreation and/or contraception.
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