Immunology and fertility in the bovine.

Antibodies are powerful tools for unlocking normal physiological problems of both qualitative and quantitative nature that affect fertility. In addition, when antibodies are generated due to abnormal situations, fertility is depressed or completely inhibited for varying periods of time. Antibodies to sperm have demonstrated sperm membrane transformations that occur during spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis, the role of the blood-testis barrier, and the role of secretion and absorption in acquisition of sperm fertilizability. Antibodies to ovary have demonstrated factors controlling oocyte maturation, folliculogenesis, and the transudation of macromolecules into the follicle, Fallopian tubes, and uterus that affect capacitation, the acrosome reaction, sperm-oocyte interaction, fertilization, and implantation. Most hormone assays today are immune assays. Antibodies also can purposely suppress fertility (immunocontraception). Fertility problems can result from inappropriate antibody formation to sperm, oocytes, pregnancy products, or hormones. Fertility problems include auto-immune aspermatogenic orchitis, auto agglutination of sperm, autoimmune oophoritis, allergy to semen or egg yolk semen extenders, isoimmunization of female to sperm, fertilization failure, and embryo mortality due to maternal-fetal incompatibility.