Spermophagy by follicular cumulus cells in the common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula following co-culture of sperm and immature ovarian oocytes.

Abstract

This is a pilot study to investigate the effects of incubating cumulus oophorus-encased ovarian oocytes of the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecuila) with cauda epididymal sperm to determine if sperm could penetrate the cumulus oophous and thereby remove the need to mechanically denude in vitro matured ovarian oocyctes, and if sperm-zona binding would occur under these conditions. No fertilisation or sperm-zona pellucida binding took place. Some spermatozoa within the cumulus oophorus layer were phagocytosed.