Saling P M, Bedford J M
J Reprod Fertil. 1981 Sep;63(1):119-23. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0630119.
Spermatozoa and eggs of one species were transferred into the oviducts of other species to examine the specificity of mammalian sperm capacitation in vivo. Using mice, rats, hamsters and rabbits, 11 different combinations of gametes and host were tested, with cumulus-intact and cumulus-free eggs being placed in opposite oviducts of a recipient. In all combinations compatible with the maintenance of sperm motility over a period sufficient for capacitation, fusion occurred between homologous gametes without regard to the identity of the host environment. The period required for capacitation, as judged by the timing of egg penetration, was a function of the specific character of the spermatozoon more than of the 'oestrous' oviduct. Fertilization level was not enhanced significantly by the presence of the cumulus oophorus, with the single striking exception of mouse eggs in the hamster. Sperm viability was not always optimal in a foreign tract; mouse and hamster spermatozoa became immotile within 2 h in the rabbit. Despite this limitation on sperm viability, some mouse eggs were fertilized in the rabbit, indicating that capacitation is possible even when the environment is suboptimal for motility maintenance. Therefore, while the results indicate that there is no specificity for capacitation as such, it should not be inferred that there is a total absence of specificity in the relationship between the female reproductive tract and gametes.
将一个物种的精子和卵子转移到其他物种的输卵管中，以研究哺乳动物体内精子获能的特异性。利用小鼠、大鼠、仓鼠和兔子，对11种不同的配子与宿主组合进行了测试，将带有卵丘和去除卵丘的卵子分别置于受体的对侧输卵管中。在所有能使精子在足以获能的时间段内保持活力的组合中，同源配子之间均发生了融合，而与宿主环境的特性无关。根据卵子受精时间判断，获能所需的时间更多地取决于精子的特性，而非“发情期”输卵管的特性。卵丘的存在并未显著提高受精率，但仓鼠体内的小鼠卵子是个明显的例外。精子在异体生殖道中的活力并非总是最佳；小鼠和仓鼠的精子在兔子体内2小时内就会失去活力。尽管精子活力存在这种限制，但仍有一些小鼠卵子在兔子体内受精，这表明即使环境对精子活力维持不利，获能仍有可能发生。因此，虽然结果表明获能本身不存在特异性，但不应推断雌性生殖道与配子之间的关系完全不存在特异性。
