Capacitation-like membrane changes and prolonged viability in vitro of equine spermatozoa cultured with uterine tube epithelial cells.
Reliable capacitation of equine spermatozoa has been a major obstacle in the development of equine in vitro fertilization. Experiments were done to compare in vitro capacitation of equine spermatozoa by use of heparin/caffeine, calcium ionophore, uterine tube epithelial cell (UTEC)-conditioned medium, and direct culturing of spermatozoa with UTEC (coculturing). Capacitation-like changes, as determined by chlortetracycline membrane staining patterns, developed with UTEC-conditioned medium and coculturing, equivalent to that with calcium ionophore. Both of these treatments induced more (P < 0.05) capacitation-like changes than did the control, a modified Tyrode's medium. More (P < 0.05) spermatozoa were viable after 24 hours of UTEC coculturing than in the control incubation.
Ellington
J E
JE
Department of Clinical Sciences, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca 14853.
Ball
B A
BA
Blue
B J
BJ
Wilker
C E
CE
D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*