Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Capacitation in vitro of Rabbit Sperm with Mule Eosinophils

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

CAPACITATION of rabbit sperm in vitro has been reported1, but never when mixed with live heterologous granulocytes; neither has it been accomplished with incubation for only several hours. A hypothetical explanation as to the nature of capacitation, which enables sperm to penetrate and utimately fertilize ova, has been published elsewhere2. A recently perfected technique is available for indirect measurement of capacitation3. This fluorometric procedure requires the labelling of sperm with tetracycline HCl (T-HCl) (ref. 4), and its removal correlates with conditions in which sperm are known to capacitate. Repeated attempts to remove T-HCl from sperm in vitro failed5 until such sperm were mixed with mule leucocytes. Further experimentation revealed mule neutrophils which phagocytosed rabbit sperm whereas eosinophils removed T-HCl but left sperm intact and alive. Removal of T-HCl from sperm in vitro in itself does not prove that these sperm are capacitated. Proof lies in the ability of these sperm to fertilize rabbit ova. Rabbit sperm can be placed experimentally in the oviduct several hours after ovulation and, unless these sperm are capacitated, the ova fail to cleave3. The work described here provides experimental evidence of partial capacitation in vitro.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kirton, K. T., and Hafs, H. D., Science, 150, 618 (1965).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Austin, C. R., Intern. J. Fertil., 12, 25 (1967).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ericsson, R. J., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. and Med., 125, 1115 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ericsson, R. J., and Baker, V. F., Nature, 214, 403 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Ericsson, R. J., J. Reprod. Fertil., Suppl. No. 2, 65 (1967).

  6. Archer, G. T., and Hirsch, J. G., J. Exp. Med., 118, 277 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bjersing, L., and Borglin, N. E., Acta Path. Microbiol. Scand., 60, 27 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Rytömaa, T., Acta Path. Microbiol. Scand., Suppl. 140, 1 (1960).

  9. Davis, M. E., and Hulit, B. E., J. Clin. Endocrinol., 9, 714 (1949).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Weil, A. J., J. Reprod. Fertil., Suppl. No. 2, 25 (1967).

  11. Boettcher, B., J. Reprod. Fertil., 16, 49 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Roberts, A. N., Nature, 210, 266 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Litt, M., J. Cell. Biol., 23, 355 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Piko, L., Intern. J. Fertil., 12, 377 (1967).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fertility Research, The Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan

    R. J. ERICSSON

Authors
  1. R. J. ERICSSON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ERICSSON, R. Capacitation in vitro of Rabbit Sperm with Mule Eosinophils. Nature 221, 568–569 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/221568a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/221568a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation