SUPPLEMENTARY: 6
Tail of Epididymis Containing Sperm (LP)


The spermatozoa complete their maturation during an essential storage period in the tail of the epididymis. The maturation process is completed in 14 days. This section is taken from the tail of the epididymis and shows the duct packed with pink staining sperm.

At the end of this time they are potentially capable of full motility when in the presence of a suitable metabolic substrate and will develop full fertility when capacitated in the female reproductive tract. The final epididymal maturation involves the loss of the remaining cytoplasmic droplet and completion of complex membrane changes.

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