SPERM MIGRATION THROUGH THE FEMALE GENITAL-TRACT OF THE NEW-WORLD MONKEY CEBUS-APELLA

This study was designed to characterize sperm migration in the female genital tract of Cebus apella. Forty-eight cycles of eighteen females mated during the periovulatory period were studied. Eggs were searched for and spermatozoa were counted in segmental flushings of the genita l tract performed in situ 1-7 h, 19-31 h, or 45-56 h after coitus. Of 14 eggs recovered, 8 were fertilized, thus assuring a reasonable norma lity of prefertilization phenomena in both males and females. A downwa rd gradient of several orders of magnitude in sperm numbers was recogn ized from cervix to ampulla, particularly over the first interval. The population in the cervix and uterus decreased progressively between t he first and last interval. Spermatozoa were recovered from the ampull a as early as 1 h after mating. Different trends were observed in the isthmus and ampulla. From the first to the last interval, sperm number s decreased in the ampulla, but not in the isthmus. The number of sper matozoa recovered from the ampulla of the ovulatory side 1-31 h postco itum was higher in postovulatory than in preovulatory monkeys, while i n the nonovulatory side, recovery was similar in the two conditions. T his finding suggests that the passage of spermatozoa up to the site of fertilization is under local control and is synchronized with ovulati on. The pattern of sperm migration that emerges from these data bears similarities to the pattern in nonprimate species as well as distincti ve features. A unique feature in common with the pattern in humans is the early establishment of a fairly abundant and persistent sperm popu lation in the ampulla.