A Fluorometric Method for Measurement of Sperm Capacitation

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Abstract
A fluorometric technique for measurement of sperm capacitation is described. Rabbit sperm were labeled with tetracycline HC1 (T-HC1) and placed in uteri and oviducts of estrous and pseudopregnant does and in other regions of estrous females. Sperm recovered from uteri and oviducts of estrous does and oviducts of pseudopregnant animals lost fluorescence while sperm which resided in pseudopregnant uteri retained fluorescence. Nonfluorescent sperm from estrous uteri fertilized ova (that is, were capacitated), whereas fluorescent sperm from pseudopregnant uteri did not (noncapacitated). T-HCl-labeled sperm placed in the eye chamber, appendix, ileum or peritoneal cavity did not lose fluorescence. Presence or absence of fluorescence of labeled sperm placed in various regions andunder different hormonal conditions correlates with what is known about where sperm will capacitate. Limited evidence with T-HCl-labeled human sperm compares with rabbit.