Three experiments were designed to determine optimum conditions for capacitation of Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) sperm in vitro using the zona‐free hamster egg sperm penetration assay (SPA) as a verification of capacitation. Sperm collected from a 9‐year‐old captive Siberian tiger were subjected to different in vitro washing conditions, preincubation times, and temperatures to induce capacitation. Sperm were able to penetrate zona‐free hamster ova after 2 hours preincubation at 37°C but not at time 0. Preincubation at room temperature was not sufficient to prepare sperm for fertilization. The presence of seminal plasma during the 2‐hour, 37°C preincubation did not affect the ability of tiger sperm to penetrate zona‐free hamster eggs. The SPA can provide a means for evaluation of in vitro capacitation of Siberian tiger sperm.
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Byers et al. (1987) studied this question.
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