Bovine Sperm-Oviduct Interaction - Recent findings and New Insights using Cutting-Edge Imaging Technologies

As soon as bovine spermatozoa reach the oviduct they form a sperm reservoir Only if a successful interaction and communication between sperm and oviduct take place the spermatozoa will stay vital in the oviduct for 3-4 days in order to successfully fertilize the oocyte. Innovative imaging technologies such as live cell imaging using a digital videomicroscopic analysis system for the first time enable to investigate these events in a qualitative and quantitative way under near in vivo conditions and in real-time. The present manuscript provides an overview on the most recent insights of sperm-oviduct interaction and their clinical applications. At the same time the importance of the oviduct for successful fertilization and pregnancy is emphasized. An in depth understanding of sperm-oviduct interaction is pivotal for the establishment of new diagnostic and therapeutic concepts for treatment of subfertility a decisive prerequisite for a further improvement of breeding success in bovine assisted reproduction.