SPERMATOZOA: THE PROBABLE SELECTION OF A SMALL POPULATION BY THE GENITAL TRACT OF THE FEMALE RABBIT

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Authors:
J. COHEN
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and
DENISE C. McNAUGHTON
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1530/jrf.0.0390297
Volume/Issue:
Volume 39: Issue 2
Page Range:
297–310
Article Type:
Research Article
Online Publication Date:
Aug 1974
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Summary.

Spermatozoa recovered from rabbit uterus or oviducts, or from antibody columns, were mixed with freshly ejaculated spermatozoa of different genotype and inseminated into the uterus of a second doe, 9 to 12 hr before ovulation to allow time for capacitation. Forty-seven litters were produced. Spermatozoa from high in the female tract were individually more potent: 1·9×107 `unselected', 2·1×107 `chemically selected', 7×105 uterine, 1·6×104 oviducal spermatozoa were inseminated per offspring produced. If only spermatozoa represented by progeny were counted, the figures became: 1·6×107, 3·4×106, 2·7×105, 1·04×102, respectively. Logarithmic means, for litters calculated separately, were: unselected 6·61±0·19, chemically selected 5·92±0·42, uterine selected 4·91±0·45, oviducally selected 2·04±0·17.

This is considered good evidence that part of the function of the mammalian female tract is selection of a few spermatozoa for fertilization. Possible reasons for such selection are considered, and the process is related to errors of chiasmata during spermatogenesis.

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Print ISSN:
1470-1626
Online ISSN:
1741-7899