In vitro interaction between oviduct epithelial and equine sperm.
Coculture of stallion sperm with monolayers of equine oviductal epithelial cells (OEC) was evaluated. Monolayers were obtained from frozen-thawed OEC. Live sperm attached to the OEC in vitro, whereas sperm killed by heat treatment or glutaraldehyde fixation did not. Sperm attached to OEC showed flagellar motion for 4 d in vitro, during which time they gradually became released. Scanning electron-micrographs showed an intimate association between the sperm and OEC. Incubation of sperm for 4 h with either control, heparinized or OEC-conditioned medium (Tyrode's albumin lactate phosphate) resulted in more incapacitated sperm, as determined by chlortetracycline staining patterns. The OEC-conditioned medium caused similar capacitation-like changes to those seen with heparin. Sperm viability as determined by Hoechst 33258 staining was not significantly affected by media type.
Ellington
J E
JE
Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
Ignotz
G G
GG
Varner
D D
DD
Marcucio
R S
RS
Mathison
P
P
Ball
B A
BA
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D013075:Sperm Capacitation; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure