Effect of Rabbit Spermatozoa on the Incorporation of Labeled Precursors into Endometrial Macromolecules

The presence of rabbit spermatozoa in the uterine horn of the doe over a 10-hr period induced an increase in the incorporation of leucine-14C and orotate-3H [from 230 ± 50 to 520 ± 32 and 146 ± 41 to 432 ± 40 (dpm 103 mg DNA; Mean ± SEM)] into endometrial proteins and nucleic acids. The addition of actinomycin D or cyclohexamide significantly inhibited this process. The intraluminal administration of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) (control group) induced an increase two times greater than that produced by spermatozoa. The increase in the incorporation of radioactive precursors into endometrial macromolecules induced by the spermatozoa is independent of the uterine carbonic anhydrase activation produced by this cell.