THE SEQUENTIAL EFFECTS OF HUMAN CERVICAL-MUCUS, OVIDUCTAL FLUID, AND FOLLICULAR-FLUID ON SPERM FUNCTION

Objective: To compare the sequential effects of human cervical mucus ( CM), oviductal fluid, and follicular fluid (FF) on sperm motility, hyp eractivation, and the acrosome reaction during 9 hours of incubation i n vitro. Design: Spermatozoa from a fertile donor were allowed to pene trate human CM in vitro and then were recovered and incubated in eithe r 30% human oviductal fluid or a simple salt solution for 3 hours befo re challenge with 20% FF. Thus, the sequential effects of the fluids c ollected from the female reproductive tract on sperm hyperactivation a nd acrosome reaction were examined. Setting: The donor insemination pr ogram at the University Clinic within the Jessop Hospital for Women, S heffield, United Kingdom. Patients: All donors used in this study were involved in the donor insemination program. Main Outcome Measures: Sp erm motility, hyperactivation, and percentage of acrosome-reacted sper matozoa were measured. Results: This study used an in vitro technique to mimic sperm transport in vivo. Spermatozoa sequentially incubated w ith female reproductive tract secretions in vitro showed a maintenance in the level of FF-induced hyperactivated motility and a decreased re sponse to the FF-induced acrosome reaction when compared with sperm ch allenged with FF in the absence of prior incubation with human oviduct al fluid. Conclusion: It is suggested that human oviductal fluid may s erve to delay the FF-induced acrosome reaction.