Influence of incubation in utero on motility and head-to-head agglutination of ejaculated rabbit spermatozoa

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Abstract
Ejaculated spermatozoa were rendered immotile by incubation for 8 h at 37.degree. C in 2.9% sodium citrate. Immotile spermatozoa (5 .times. 106) were surgically inseminated into the uterine lumen of does and samples were recovered from the uterus 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after insemination. Incubation in utero led to a resumption of progressive motility and induced head-to-head agglutination. Motility and head-to-head agglutination were highest (64 and 70% respectively) at 5 min, and declined (48 and 49%) by 60 min. The percentage of spermatozoa with an intact acrosome did not change during the in utero incubation. When spermatozoa from a single ejaculate were evaluated in different females there was significant variation (P < 0.01) in the reinitiation of motility and agglutination. Most agglutinated spermatozoa (> 96%) had an intact acrosomal membrane while acrosomal integrity of single spermatozoa differed greatly among females. The agglutinated (motile with intact acrosomes) and non-agglutinated (usually immotile and with disrupted acrosomes) represent different populations within the uterine lumen.