A comparison of sperm and embryo transport in the female reproductive tract of marsupial and eutherian mammals

Da, Taggart

doi:10.1071/rd9940451

Cited by 42 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 113 publications

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“…Taggart [1994] and Crawford et al [1999] speculate that the physiological function of the secretory products in the epithelium of the cul-de-sac in the brushtail possum may play a role in either the facilitation of transport, sustenance, selection, storage or capacitation of sperm within the cul-de-sac. The same function could be attributed to the cervical epithelium especially in the case of M. domestica [Tyndale-Biscoe and Rodger, 1978].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructural Changes in the Cervical Epithelium during the Estrous Cycle of the Marsupial <i>Monodelphis domestica</i> (Grey Short-Tailed Opossum)

Wick

Kress²

2002

Cells Tissues Organs

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Ultrastructural changes in the cervical epithelium related to the estrous cycle have been studied in the South American marsupial Monodelphis domestica. The two cervices protrude with prominent papillae into the sinus vaginalis. At times of simple columnar at others of more pseudostratified character consists of two types of cells, ciliated and secretory cells. The mucosal epithelium is uniform in its entire length and shows no division into an endo- and ectocervix. The mucosa of the cervix differs from the uterine endometrium. There are no glandular structures, but the luminal epithelium shows deep invaginations underlined by dense connective tissue. The most conspicuous changes include the height and the differentiation of the cervical epithelium which attains its maximum development during estrus, where secretory cells are fully packed with large secretory granules and ciliated cells are well developed. After extruding their granules, secretory cells may transform into ciliated cells, while ciliated cells show the phenomenon of deciliation in which cilia packets are shed into the cervical lumen. This transformation process takes place mainly during post- and metestrus. The presence of solitary cilia is only noticeable during pro-estrus, being in contrast to the uterine epithelium where they appear during the whole estrous cycle.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructural Changes in the Cervical Epithelium during the Estrous Cycle of the Marsupial <i>Monodelphis domestica</i> (Grey Short-Tailed Opossum)

Wick

Kress²

2002

Cells Tissues Organs

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“…The studies of fertilisation in vivo in the dasyurids [Selwood, 1982;Breed and Leigh, 1988;Breed, 1994] also show that the sperm appear to be bound against the zona surface by mucoid deposition in the ampulla where the eggs are closely confined [Breed, 1994;Taggart, 1994]. It is possible that the mucoid material in the ampulla provides the appropriate environment for fertilisation as suggested by Breed [1994] or that physical binding of the sperm of the egg surface by ampullary mucoid strands facilitates spermzona binding.…”

Section: Mucoid Coatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marsupial Egg and Embryo Coats

Selwood

2000

Cells Tissues Organs

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Egg and embryo coats of marsupials are reviewed. Marsupial eggs are enclosed by a zona pellucida, mucoid coat and an outer shell coat. An extra-cellular matrix coat that lines the zona pellucida also occurs in some species. The zona pellucida consists of three zona proteins (ZPA, ZPB, ZPC) with considerable similarity to those of eutherian mammals. The zona is thought to be the sperm receptor site and, in some species, but not others, is a barrier to polyspermy. Immunostaining, in situ hybridisation, histochemistry and electron microscopy indicate that the zona originates in the oocyte at the onset of oocyte growth. It changes greatly in shape during ovulation and early development and plays an essential role in blastocyst formation. The mucoid coat is an acid glycoprotein that is produced by non-ciliated cells at all levels of the oviduct and has been implicated in providing a barrier to polyspermy, nourishment of the embryo and an osmotically stable environment for the embryo. Its width varies widely in marsupials. The shell coat is secreted by the epithelia of the utero-tubal junction and upper uterus during oestrus and early cleavage. Evidence is provided for a second wave of secretion at bilaminar and trilaminar blastocyst stages. Shell-free embryos do not survive in vitro during bilaminar and early trilaminar blastocyst stages. Hatching from the shell coat occurs between 65 and 85% of the gestation period usually when the embryo is undergoing early somitogenesis. The extra-cellular matrix is secreted by the oocyte or by the cells of early cleavage stages and initially separates cells from the zona pellucida and from each other. It plays an essential role in blastocyst formation. The zona, mucoid and shell coats provide a framework for blastocyst construction and normal embryos do not form in their absence in some species.

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“…In marsupial mammals and some insectivores (Bedford et al, 1999;Bedford et al, 1997a;Bedford et al, 1997b;Taggart, 1994), sperm are stored in special mucosal crypts or bulbous pockets. In some cases the sperm appear to be held in the crypts by suppression of flagellar motility (Bedford and Breed, 1994).…”

Section: Formation Of the Oviductal Sperm Storage Reservoirmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulation of sperm storage and movement in the mammalian oviduct

2008

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The oviduct plays a vital role in ensuring successful fertilization and normal early embryonic development. The male inseminates many thousands or even millions of sperm, but this alone does not ensure that fertilization will be successful. The female tract, particularly the oviduct, provides filters that select for normal vigorously motile sperm. In conjunction with molecules in the seminal plasma and on sperm, the female tract regulates how and when sperm pass though the tract to reach the site of fertilization. Various regulatory processes control sperm passage into and through the oviduct. In some species, the uterotubal junction opens and closes to regulate when sperm may enter; furthermore, passage through the junction requires certain proteins on the sperm surface. Most of the sperm that manage to enter the oviduct soon become trapped and held in a reservoir. In marsupials and insectivores, this involves trapping sperm in mucosal crypts; while in most other mammalian species, this involves binding sperm to the oviductal epithelium. As the time of ovulation approaches, the sperm in the reservoir undergo capacitation, including motility hyperactivation. Capacitating sperm shed proteins that bind them to the mucosal epithelium, while hyperactivation assists the sperm in pulling off of the epithelium and escaping out of mucosal pockets. The process of sperm release is gradual, reducing chances of polyspermic fertilization. Released sperm may be guided towards the oocyte by secretions of the oviduct, cumulus cells, or oocyte. Hyperactivation likely assists sperm in penetrating the cumulus matrix and is absolutely required for penetrating the oocyte zona pellucida and achieving fertilization. KEY WORDS: sperm, fallopian tube, uterine tube, oviductThe oviduct consists of three segments, each with different functions: the uterotubal junction, the isthmus, and the ampulla. The uterotubal junction provides a barrier to infectious microbes that might enter the oviduct from the uterus. It also regulates which sperm may enter and when. The isthmus serves as a sperm storage organ and the ampulla provides an environment conducive to fertilization and early embryonic development. The movements of sperm are regulated by these three segments in different ways so as to fulfill those functions. The uterotubal junction regulates sperm movement from uterus to oviductThe anatomy of the uterotubal junction indicates that it is constructed to restrict entry of infectious organisms and leukocytes from the uterus and to regulate entry of sperm (Fig. 1A). In many species, mucosal folds fill most of the lumen and these folds Int.

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A comparison of sperm and embryo transport in the female reproductive tract of marsupial and eutherian mammals

Abstract: A review on current knowledge of sperm and embryo transport in the female reproductive tract of marsupials. Some of the unique features of gamete structure-function and female genital tract morphology will be described and compared with data available on eutherian mammals.

Cited by 42 publications

References 113 publications

Ultrastructural Changes in the Cervical Epithelium during the Estrous Cycle of the Marsupial <i>Monodelphis domestica</i> (Grey Short-Tailed Opossum)

Ultrastructural Changes in the Cervical Epithelium during the Estrous Cycle of the Marsupial <i>Monodelphis domestica</i> (Grey Short-Tailed Opossum)

Marsupial Egg and Embryo Coats

Regulation of sperm storage and movement in the mammalian oviduct

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