Sperm penetration into cervical mucus in vitro. II. Human spermatozoa in bovine mucus.
Human spermatozoa pentrate estrous bovine cervical mucus readily in vitro and maintain good motility and viability for a number of hours. They show pronounced unidirectional motion in mucus that has been aligned linearly. Data from tube preparations indicate that human spermatozoa from a given ejaculate travel more rapidly in estrous bovine mucus than in human midcyle mucus. They are prevented from penetrating luteal phase bovine mucus. The results are discussed in relation to a model of the molecular structure of cervical mucus, derived from laser light-scattering spectroscopy. In addition, it is suggested that bovine cervical mucus could be developed as a possible substitute for human cervical mucus in cases of infertility due to deficient endogenous mucus.
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000502:physiology*; D004971:Estrus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*