Acrosome reaction of sperm incubated in the uterus of gilts.

A procedure is described for incubation and recopvery of sperm from the female reproductive tract. Ova which were placed in Teflon capsules and surgically inserted into ligated uterine segments of gilts, were incubated with sperm and examined to determine whether the acrosome reaction was induced. Ova were recovered at 30-minute intervals for 2 hours and examined by electron microscopy. When 6 to 12 X 10(9) sperm were placed into the ligated uterine segments, 80% to 85% of the sperm were recovered. The acrosome reaction, with the characteristic vesiculation of the plasma membrane and outer acrosomal membrane was detected in sperm at the surface of the ova after incubation for 60 or 90 minutes. Approximately 5% of the sperm outside the capsules showed similar membrane vesiculation after those time intervals.