Sperm binding to the human zona pellucida after migration through human cervical mucus

Pilar Vigil; Rosa Riquelme; P Morales

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1995.tb00631.x

Male Fertility · Semen Analysis

Sperm binding to the human zona pellucida after migration through human cervical mucus

Vigil P, Riquelme R, Morales P

Published June 1995 International journal of andrology, 18 Suppl 1, 7-11

DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2605.1995.tb00631.x PMID 7558393

Abstract

During lactational amenorrhea a special type of cervical mucus, similar to that found during the luteal phase, is produced. This mucus, however, is able to support sperm migration. In the study described, the ability of spermatozoa to bind to the human zona pellucida (hZP) after migration through periovulatory and post-partum mucus was studied. Mucus was obtained from exclusively breastfeeding women in amenorrhea at 30, 60, 120 and 180 days post-partum. Periovulatory mucus samples from normally cycling women were used as a control. Flat capillary tubes were filled with BWW culture medium at the top and cervical mucus at the bottom. The tubes were immersed in a semen reservoir and the spermatozoa allowed to migrate through the mucus for 3 h into the culture media. Then the spermatozoa were coincubated with 3-4 hZP for 30 min and the number of bound spermatozoa per zona was counted. Periovulatory cervical mucus had an average Insler score of 14 +/- 0.5 as compared to 4.6 +/- 0.4 for post-partum mucus. Spermatozoa recovered from periovulatory mucus were always able to bind to the hZP in only 68 +/- 7% of the cases. Moreover, spermatozoa recovered from post-partum mucus bound to the ZP in lower numbers than did spermatozoa recovered fro periovulatory mucus (p < 0.03). These results suggest a greater ability of sperm-hZP binding after migration through periovulatory mucus and they also indicate that sperm binding to the ZP is possible even after sperm migration through a low quality mucus.

Topics

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Male Fertility › Semen Analysis › Sperm Function Testing · Postpartum › Return of Fertility › Breastfeeding and Ovulation

Pilar Vigil, Rosa Riquelme

P Vigil, R Riquelme

PMID 7558393 7558393 DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2605.1995.tb00631.x 10.1111/j.1365-2605.1995.tb00631.x Vigil et al. 1995, Vigil 1995

Cite this article

Vigil, P., Riquelme, R., & Morales, P. (1995). Sperm binding to the human zona pellucida after migration through human cervical mucus. International journal of andrology, 18 Suppl 1, 7-11. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2605.1995.tb00631.x