Evidence for a species-specific barrier to sperm transport within the vagina of the chicken hen.
Following their insemination into the vagina of chicken hens, turkey spermatozoa did not appear to reach the ovum within the upper magnum or infundibulum and were only occasionally found within the sperm storage tubules at the uterovaginal junction. Turkey spermatozoa were able to populate chicken uterovaginal sperm storage tubules as (or more) efficiently as fowl spermatozoa in uterovaginal junction tissue in vitro. They also populated uterovaginal junction sperm storage tubules in vivo after insemination directly into the uterovaginal region. Thus, a barrier to foreign spermatozoa appears to exist within the vagina of the chicken and not at the level of the uterovaginal junction sperm storage tubules. The nature of this barrier is not known; however it can be shown that while chicken and turkey spermatozoa have similar morphological features and motility characteristics, they have distinct surface antigenicity. Recognition of surface antigenicity by a localised immunological mechanism may be the basis of sperm selection within the hens vagina.
Steele
M G
MG
Department of Molecular and Life Sciences, Dundee Institute of Technology, Dundee DD1 1HG, Scotland, UK.
Wishart
G J
GJ