Time requirement for capacitation of boar spermatozoa assessed by their ability to penetrate the zona-free hamster egg.

Boar spermatozoa were preincubated for various times in the isolated uterus and oviduct from a maturing gilt and used to inseminate zona-free hamster eggs. The proportions of eggs penetrated and activated were increased, and the interval between insemination and sperm penetration was shortened when the spermatozoa were preincubated for 4--5.5 h instead of 2--.5 h. Overall penetration rates were higher and sperm penetration occurred about 1 h earlier when the eggs were inseminated with spermatozoa preincubated in the uterus than in the oviduct. It is concluded that the change in ability of boar spermatozoa to penetrate zona-free hamster eggs is due to capcitation which requires 4--4.5 h and 5--5.5 h of preincubation in the isolated uterus and oviduct, respectively.