Passage of Spermatozoa Labelled With Thymidine-3h Through the Ductus Epididymidis of the Rabbit

Summary. The duration of spermatozoa transit through the ductus epididymidis,y the isotope method, is 9 to 10 days in rabbits at sexual rest. The average duration of transit through each segment of the epididymis is approximately: for the proximal cepididymidis, for the distal cepididymidis,the corpus epididepididymidis, 1 day; day;roximal caudaidyepididymidis,day;cauda epididymiductusens, 4 to 5 days. Labelledozoa enter and are transported through the ductductus epididymidisve waves. These waves correspond to the release into the lumen of the seminiferous spermatozoa derived from spermpslabelledtime of isotope injection. A mixing of spermatozoa of different ages occurs in the epididymis by their more rapid transit along the periphery of the duct and by a dilution effect taking place in the distal matozoa of diff