Fertile spermatozoa can be obtained from cauda epididymis after short term preservation at 4°C in paraffin oil. We examined the preservability of fertility under these conditions. Of ICR oocytes, 89% and 69% were fertilized in vitro with ICR and C57BL/6J spermatozoa from cauda epididymis stored in paraffin oil at 4°C for 24 h, respectively. Almost all of these fertilized oocytes developed to the blastocyst stage. The fertility of spermatozoa decreased noticeably with prolonged storage. From the stock stored for 96 h, the percentage of fertilized oocytes from ICR and C57BL/6J mice was only 13% and 1%, respectively. C57BL/6J zygotes which fertilized with either H or F gene disrupted spermatozoa previously stored for 16 h were implanted into individual oviducts. Fifty percent and 41% of these transferred zygotes developed into young, respectively. This study shows that mouse spermatozoa can be simply stored for 24 h within the intact cauda epididymis maintained at 4°C in paraffin oil; this procedure can facilitate the transportation of spermatozoa for this length of time.

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