These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: The effect of epididymal and testicular fluids on the fertilising capacity of testicular and epididymal spermatozoa.
    Author: Cooper TG, Orgebin-Crist MC.
    Journal: Andrologia; 1975; 7(2):85-93. PubMed ID: 1190508.
    Abstract:
    It is possible that the fertilising capacity of spermatozoa in the epididymis is influenced by the epididymal secretion. We have studied this problem by obtaining spermatozoa before entry into the epididymis and after passage through it, incubating both types of spermatozoa in fluids from the rete testis and cauda epididymidis and then checking their fertilising capacity. While spermatozoa from the rete testis were infertile, rete testis fluid did not decrease the fertilising capacity of epididymal sperm from the cauda epididymidis. Fluid from the cauda epididymidis did not promote the fertilising capacity of testicular spermatozoa. These results are discussed in the light of the current understanding of epididymal physiology. The effects of epididymal and testicular fluids on the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa were observed in New Zealand white rabbits before they entered the epidiymis and after passage through it. Techniques employed are described. Spermatozoa were collected from the rete testis and from the cauda epididymis and mixed with fluids from these 2 sites. In all cases spermatozoa in .15 ml of Hanks balanced salt solution were instilled into each uterine horn of rabbits concurrently given 50 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). 26-28 hours later recovered eggs were checked with phase contrast microscopy for evidence of fertilization. Spermatozoa taken from the distal cauda epididymis were fertile immediately after collection. After moderate centrifugation and resuspension of these spermatozoa in epididymal or testicular fluid fertility was retained. Testicular spermatozoa were infertile in all experiments. In in vitro tests, using fluid from the rete testis, the fertility of spermatozoa from the cauda epididymis was retained. Fluid from the cauda epididymis failed to induce fertility in testicular spermatozoa. Results suggest that there may be a time-dependent process involved in the capacitation of spermatozoa rather than a fluid contact effect. However, it is also possible that spermatozoa may need to come in contact with secretions of the corpus epididymis to become fertile.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]