In vitro Study of the Spermatozoa Motility in the Lizard Eutropis carinata

Abstract

Reptilian epididymis is considered as an important excurrent duct system required for the sperm maturation. Reptilian epididymis synthesizes and secretes proteins which vary in different regions of the epididymis. Hence, to investigate the effect of the secretions of different regions of the epididymis on spermatozoa motility, an in vitro study was undertaken to observe the changes in the patterns of motility of the testicular spermatozoa incubated with luminal contents of different regions of the epididymis in the lizard Eutropis carinata for the first time. The non motile testicular spermatozoa from the testis exhibited different patterns of motility, when incubated with the luminal contents of different regions of the epididymis. The spermatozoa from the testis,different regions of the epididymis exhibited 8 different patterns of motility (a-h). Testicular spermatozoa incubated with the anterior and middle epididymal luminal contents showed the motility patterns almost similar to that of the spermatozoa of the anterior and middle epididymis respectively. In contrast to the spermatozoa of the posterior epididymis, none of the testicular spermatozoa showed any movement when incubated with the posterior epididymal luminal contents. This study throws light on the importance of each region of epididymis in the physiological maturation of spermatozoa.