Ž . Animal Reproduction Science 59 2000 213–228 www.elsevier.comrlocateranireprosci Sperm transport in the female reproductive tract of the brushtail possum, Trichosurus Õulpecula, following superovulation and artificial insemination M.K. Jungnickel a , F.C. Molinia b, ) , A.J. Harman a , J.C. Rodger c a CooperatiÕe Research Centre for ConserÕation and Management of Marsupials, Department of Biological Sciences, UniÕersity of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales 2308, Australia b CooperatiÕe Research Centre for ConserÕation and Management of Marsupials, Landcare Research, PO Box 69, Lincoln, Christchurch 8152, New Zealand c CooperatiÕe Research Centre for ConserÕation and Management of Marsupials, School of Biological Sciences, Macquarie UniÕersity, Sydney,New South Wales 2109, Australia Received 3 March 1999; received in revised form 23 December 1999; accepted 20 January 2000 Abstract This study investigated sperm transport following superovulation and artificial insemination Ž . AI in the common brushtail possum, Trichosurus Õulpecula. Females were superovulated by Ž . treatment with 15 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin PMSG then 4 mg luteinizing hormone Ž . Ž LH 78 h later. Inseminations were performed 27 h after LH 4 million motile spermatozoar . Ž . uterus . At 1.5, 3, 6, 9 and 12 h after AI n s5 per group , females were euthanised and reproductive tracts removed for examination and flushed for sperm. No ovulations had occurred by 1.5 h, but 20% of animals had ovulated by 3 or 6 h, and 80% by 9 or 12 h. The mean numbers of spermatozoa recovered ranged from 249 to 275 =10 3 in the uterus; 16–51 =10 3 in the isthmus; 8–11 =10 3 in the middle segment; and 6–16 =10 3 in the ampulla at 1.5, 3 and 6 h after Ž . AI. Sperm numbers in all regions decreased at later times P -0.05 except the isthmus, where 3 Ž 100 =10 sperm were recovered by 12 h. Highly motile thumbtack sperm a putative indicator of . Ž . Ž . capacitation in marsupials , were recovered from the isthmus 20% , middle segment 50% and Ž . ampulla 90% at all sampling times, but not from the uterus. The epithelium of the oviduct segments contained mucus-secreting and ciliated cells and peak secretory activity was observed in the ampulla at 6 h. At 3, 6 and 12 h, many spermatozoa were found in epithelial folds within the isthmus. The present study has provided basic information on sperm transport and storage events within the female reproductive tract of T. Õulpecula following superovulation and AI. It is ) Corresponding author. Tel.: q 64-3-325-6701 extension: 3746; fax: q 64-3-325-2418. Ž . E-mail address: moliniaf@landcare.cri.nz F.C. Molinia . 0378-4320r00r$ - see front matter q 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S0378-4320 00 00074-9