Sperm capacitation in the porcine oviduct

In vitro studies suggests that sperm capacitation occurs in the sperm reservoir (SR) of the pig, with spermatozoa progressing towards the ampullary-isthmic junction (AIJ) around ovulation as a consequence of capacitation/hyperactivation. In contrast, in vivo studies are scarce. Consequently, we determined the degree of capacitation in boar spermatozoa that were retrieved from the SR of sows at well-defined periods of spontaneous standing oestrus, namely pre-, peri- and post-ovulation, using flow cytometry of Merocyanine-540/Yo-Pro-1-loaded spermatozoa. SR-spermatozoa retrieved and incubated in non-capacitating medium (bicarbonate-free mBO [mBO-]) were largely viable (70-85%) and uncapacitated (69-73%), irrespective of the stage of oestrus considered. Those undergoing capacitation were a minor proportion (1-5%) during pre- and peri-ovulation, but they significantly increased (14%) in post-ovulation oestrus. To clarify whether these SR-spermatozoa were able to undergo capacitation under stimuli, sperm aliquots were challenged in vitro either by incubation in a bicarbonate-rich medium (capacitation medium, mBO+), then further in mBO+ with 20% (v/v) of in vivo collected homologous pre-ovulatory isthmic oviductal fluid (IOF), or incubation with hyaluronan (HA, 500 microg/ml). Exposure to mBO+ significantly increased the sub-population of capacitated spermatozoa from the pre- and peri-ovulation SR, indicating that the uncapacitated SR-spermatozoa were responsive to the effector/inducer bicarbonate at levels recorded in peri-ovulatory AIJ/ampulla in vivo. While addition of IOF or HA to SR-spermatozoa incubated in capacitating medium (mBO+) maintained sperm viability without obviously inducing capacitation in pre- or peri-ovulatory SR-spermatozoa, they significantly increased these percentages during post-ovulation, when compared to baseline values of control incubations (mBO-). The results suggest that massive sperm capacitation does not occur in vivo in the porcine SR under spontaneous standing oestrus, particularly during pre- and peri-ovulation, unless spermatozoa are exposed to the effector bicarbonate. Exposure to IOF (and its component HA) under the present experimental conditions, reversed bicarbonate influence during pre- and peri-ovulation and further increased capacitation in post-ovulation, calling for an active role of the intratubal fluid. Furthermore, HA appears to have an active role in the functionality of the SR.