Abstract
Summary
Rabbits which had been superovulated with FSH and HCG were compared with rabbits ovulated with HCG to assay sperm for capacitation. Inseminations with freshly ejaculated sperm 0 to 13 hr after an ovulating injection of HCG were compared with inseminations with capacitated sperm 13 hr after HCG. Superovulation increased the number of recovered ova from 8 to 22 and depressed percentage of ova recovery, but did not influence fertility significantly. Site of insemination did not influence ova recovery, but uterine inseminations resulted in higher fertility than oviducal inseminations whether they were performed with freshly ejaculated or with capacitated sperm. Inseminations with freshly ejaculated sperm at the time of injection of HCG resulted in more advanced ova development 34 hr after HCG than inseminations with capacitated sperm 13 hr after HCG. The data indicate that sperm may be assayed for capacitation with oviducal or with uterine inseminations into superovulated test rabbits. Lower fertility from oviducal than from uterine inseminations may provide a more discriminative assay.
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