A comparative ultrastructural study of in vivo versus in vitro fertilization of bovine oocytes

Heifers were superovulated by PMSG or FSH, and oestrus was induced by prostaglandin. One group of animals was ovariectomized 19-26 h after the LH peak, the content of preovulatory follicles aspirated, and the oocytes processed for in vitro fertilization. Another group was inseminated and ova were collected from the oviducts for study of in vivo fertilization. All ova were examined ultrastructurally. The developmental rate following in vitro fertilization was delayed compared to fertilization in vivo. A high proportion of the in vitro fertilized ova showed polyspermic penetration of the zona pellucida, and supernumerary spermatozoa were found in the ooplasm of some ova. In vivo fertilization was associated with release and subsequent dispersal of the cortical granule content in the perivitelline space. In contrast to this the released granule content of the in vitro fertilized ova remained undispersed close to the oolemma. This feature may account for the high incidence of polyspermic penetration of the zona pellucida. In addition, the study provided an ultrastructural visualization of the initial contact between the equatorial segment of the spermatozoon and the microvilli of the oocyte, and the subsequent internalization of the sperm head.