Characterization of Bottlenose Dolphin Sperm Based on Morphometric Traits.

Bottlenose dolphin () males follow many reproductive strategies to ensure their paternity. However, little is known about the sperm traits, including morphometric features, that contribute to their reproductive success. Our aim was to study dolphin sperm morphometry (a total of 13 parameters) in two adult males to evaluate (i) presumptive sperm subpopulations, (ii) the correlation of sperm morphometry with testosterone levels and (iii) the effect of refrigerated storage on the sperm morphometry.

Lectin spatial immunolocalization during capacitation in spermatozoa.

Spermatozoa interactions with the female reproductive tract and oocyte are regulated by surface molecules such as glycocalyx. The capacitation process comprises molecular and structural modifications which increase binding affinity. Lectins allowed us to describe glycocalyx changes during maturation, capacitation and acrosome reaction.