Changes in the morphology of spermatozoa during their passage through the genital tract in dairy bulls with normal and impaired spermat ogenesis

Abstract

An investigation was conducted on changes in sperm morphology along the excurrent duct of bulls. The study comprised 20 bulls with proven fertility and normal semen picture, and 10 bulls with pathologic semen. The morphology of spermatozoa was evaluated on ejaculates and on postslaughter collected contents from the excurrent duct. The incidence of pathologic sperm heads decreased along the duct in both groups of bulls. The main decrease generally occurred in caput epididymidis. In bulls with pathologic semen, the decrease continued in lower regions of epididymis and was deferens. The rate and pattern of sperm removal seem to primarily depend on the quality of spermatozoa entering the excurrent duct. The removal was clearly selective and is assumed to be associated with phagocytosis of spermatozoa mainly in the efferent ductules and proximal part of caput epididymis. Proximal cytoplasmic droplets were present on almost all sperm in the efferent ductules. The incidence decreased during passage along the genital tract. Migration of cytoplasmic droplets from a proximal to a distal position took place between regions C and D of the caput epididymidis. The incidence of middle-piece abnormalities decreased during passage along the genital tract, while the incidence of sperm tail abnormalities increased in the corpus and cauda epididymidis in all bulls.