Movement characteristics of hamster and guinea pig spermatozoa upon attachment to the zona pellucida

Abstract

Movement characteristics of hamster and guinea pig spermatozoa were studied by high-speed cinemicrography before and after initial binding to the zona pellucida. Hamster spermatozoa that had previously undergone motility activation in vivo or in vitro maintained vigorous behavior upon zona attachment. They continued to propagate flagellar waves of large amplitude and curvature, although these waves were much more symmetrical than when prior to zona attachment. The hamster sperm activated in vitro appeared slightly stimulated upon zona attachment. Such spermatozoa also bound to the zonae pellucidae of mouse eggs, and they exhibited similar movements. Preactivated hamster spermatozoa, fresh from the epididymis, did attach to the hamster zona, but exhibited relatively weak flagellar beats of low amplitude and frequency. Guinea pig spermatozoa, activated in vitro, also continued such movement and appeared somewhat stimulated upon attachment to the zona pellucida of their species.