• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1199-1203
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to examine the binding potential of sperm to the epithelium of the sperm storage tubules (SST) in vitro and in vivo to assess the functional maturation of fowl sperm. Sperm from the testis, epididymis, as well as the proximal, middle and distal vas deferens were incubated in vitro with either the uterovaginal junction (UVJ)- or infundibular tissue containing SST at $39^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. Aliquots of sperm were also artificially inseminated into the uteri of hens, and the UVJ and infundibulum were collected 24 h post artificial insemination (AI). After incubation and AI, tissues were washed to remove loosely adhered sperm and subjected to fluorescence staining with 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, dihydrochloride (DAPI) for counting the number of bound sperm per 0.25 mm2 of surface area. Sperm from the testis, epididymis, and the three segments of the vas deferens exhibited their differential (p<0.05) binding capacity, which increased gradually from the testicular to distal vas deferens sperm under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Existing similar trend, sperm, regardless of their source had a lesser affinity to bind to the epithelium of the infundibular SST than to the UVJ-SST. These experimental results suggested that fowl sperm may undergo gradual changes in the process of functional maturation, whereby they gain the ability to bind to the epithelium of the SST during their passage through the male reproductive tract (MRT).

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.361-371
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• 1990

The present observations were focussed mainly on the morphological findings of the utero-vaginal(U-V) glands in normal laying domestic hens and the storage of cock spermatozoa in the U-V glands at various times after artificial insemination(AI). These domestic hens were assigned to three group of PMS-treated, GnRH-treated before last AI, and control group. The hens were sacrified at intervals of 1,3,7,12 and 19 days after AI. Histological sections of U-V junctions were prepared and the morphological structures of the U-V glands were observed and then were scored about the spermatozoa presence in the U-V gland. 1. The U-V glandular tubules were mostly unbranched with single columnar epithelium. Also these tubules were occassionally observed as one circular-rotated tubules or 2 to 3 branched convoluted tubules in special shapes. The numbers of the convoluted curves per tubule were $4.3{\pm}3.3$ and the ranges of convoluted curve number were straight to 16 curves. 2. The inside and outside diameters of the glandular tubules were $6.5{\pm}3.5{\mu}m$, and $35.2{\pm}4.7{\mu}m$, respectively, and the tubular lengths of the U-V glands were $219.3{\pm}115.7{\mu}m$. 3. Storaged spermatozoa in the U-V glands of all three group hens were intensively stained by hematoxylin, and packed in tight, longitudinally parallel bundles within the tubules. In addition, numbers of completely spermatozoa-filled glands were tend to increase or decrease in proportion to the numbers of partially spermatozoa-filled glands. Also U-V glands containing spermatozoa tend to be present collectively in the any zone of U-V junction. 4. In the control group, the numbers of glands containing spermatozoa in the hens at 1,3,7,12, and 19 days after AI were found to be 22.9, 33.3, 35.8, 8.6, and 0% respectively. 5. In the PMS-treated group, the numbers of glands containing spermatozoa in the hens at 1,3,7,12, and 19 days after AI were found to be 33.6, 29.7, 26.8, 8.2 and 0% respectively. 6. In the GnRH-treated group, the numbers of glands containing spermatozoa in the hens at 1,3,7,12, and 19 days after AI were found to be 19.7, 40.8, 20.4, and 0% respectively.