Ovulation, fertilization, and early embryonic development in the menstruating fruit bat, Carollia perspicillata.

To characterize periovulatory events, reproductive tracts were collected at 12 hr intervals from captive-bred, short-tailed fruit bats, Carollia perspicillata, on days 1-3 post coitum and examined histologically. Most bats bred readily. Graafian follicles developed large antra and exhibited preovulatory expansion of the cumulus oophorus.

Selectivity in the transport of spermatozoa to oviductal reservoirs in the menstruating fruit bat, Carollia perspicillata.

To better document the timing of ovulation and fertilization, female reproductive tracts were collected every 12 h from captive-bred fruit bats (Carollia perspicillata) on days 1-3 postcoitum and examined histologically. This also permitted observations on sperm transport, storage, and disposition. As the animals had previously been sexually segregated, most had been cycling and possessed menstrual uteri at the time of collection.

Embryonic staging system for the short-tailed fruit bat, Carollia perspicillata, a model organism for the mammalian order Chiroptera, based upon timed pregnancies in captive-bred animals.

There are approximately 4,800 extant species of mammals that exhibit tremendous morphological, physiological, and developmental diversity. Yet embryonic development has been studied in only a few mammalian species. Among mammals, bats are second only to rodents with regard to species number and habitat range and are the most abundant mammals in undisturbed tropical regions.

An ultrastructural study of interstitial implantation in captive-bred, short-tailed fruit bats, Carollia perspicillata: trophoblastic adhesion and penetration of the uterine epithelium.

Trophoblastic adhesion to, and penetration of, the uterine epithelium during implantation have been examined in captive-bred Carollia perspicillata at the light and electron microscopic levels. Initial adhesion is localized to marginal ridges immediately over the apical intercellular junctions of the epithelial cells. Penetration then involves the intrusion of trophoblastic processes between the epithelial cells and the formation of junctional complexes between the two cell types.