Spermatozoa induce transcriptomic alterations in bovine oviductal epithelial cells prior to initial contact.

ABSTRACT: The capability of spermatozoa to directly influence maternal gene expression is already established. Indeed, some of the changes induced by spermatozoa may have a direct functional importance in the pre-conceptional period. Although the mechanisms underlying these sperm-maternal interactions are not well characterized, it is possible that they could involve ligands that are released from the spermatozoa. This study therefore aimed to test whether physical contact between bovine spermatozoa and bovine oviductal epithelial cells (BOECs) is a prerequisite for spermatozoa-induced gene expression changes. We used two co-culture models: a contact co-culture model in which spermatozoa interact directly with BOECs, and a non-contact co-culture model in which an insert with the pore size of 0.4 μm

SUBMITTER: Reshi QUA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7642185 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature