Surface of the rooster spermatozoon changes in passing through the Wolffian duct

Abstract

Fluid secreted by the rooster Wolffian duct contains several proteins separable on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and isoelectric focusing (IEF) gels. Antibodies against these fluid components were obtained by immunizing rabbits, and the IgG fraction was then purified. As judged by indirect immunofluorescence, purified IgG against rooster duct fluid did not bind to any testicular spermatozoa. However, it bound distinctly to the whole surface of spermatozoa from the initial (epididymal) region and more intensely to all spermatozoa from the mid- and terminal regions of the Wolffian duct of the rooster, though not at all to mature duck or pigeon spermatozoa. Thus, in the rooster, as in therian mammals, the surface of the spermatozoon clearly acquires specific components secreted by the Wolffian duct. It should not be assumed that such surface change in rooster spermatozoa is entirely comparable, in a functional sense, to that undergone by mammalian spermatozoa, in which this seems directly related to fertilizing ability. Unlike those of mammals, rooster spermatozoa do not seem to require capacitation, and some spermatozoa in the testis already are competent to fertilize. Components acquired in the Wolffian duct by the rooster spermatozoon may bear on other aspects, perhaps sperm transport and/or survival in the female.