Selection of morphologically abnormal sperm by human cervical mucus.
The important role of cervical mucus from a reproduction standpoint is the transport and selection of spermatozoa. The study of the fertilizing ability of human spermatozoa by the use of zona-free hamster oocytes has shown that morphologically abnormal sperm can fuse with the zona-free hamster oocyte. The high proportion of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa present in human semen is significantly reduced after sperm migration through cervical mucus. The mucus, while a favorable environment for sperm survival, does not seem to contribute to the occurrence of sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction.
D000818:Animals; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000502:physiology*; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009865:Oocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013075:Sperm Capacitation; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013083:Sperm Transport; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000648:ultrastructure