Livestock Reproduction: Sperm Capacitation and In Vitro Fertilization
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Reproduction".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2026 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editor
Interests: spermatogenesis; heat stress; male fertility; capacitation; fertilization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Mammalian sperm must undergo further maturation after ejaculation before they are capable of fertilization. This maturation process, referred to as capacitation, is essential for sperm to fertilize oocytes both in vitro or in vivo. While some species require the incubation of sperm in balanced salt solutions, others require the addition of molecules, such as heparin in cattle, or exposure to oviduct tissue. Much information on the mechanisms of capacitation has been gained in the last 20 years and the primary goal of this special issue is to address what is the status of that knowledge, new approaches, and how capacitation can be determined in vitro. In vitro fertilization has also undergone major changes in the last 20 years, particularly in cattle, but also in other species. The second goal of this special issue is to understand how best to promote in vitro fertilization, the success of subsequent embryo development, and how the capacitation status of sperm affects embryo development outcomes. The information in the issue will enhance our understanding of molecular and physiological changes in sperm that promote fertilization, as well as how to successfully fertilize oocytes in vitro that lead to a viable embryo.
Dr. John Parrish
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
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Keywords
- spermatozoa
- maturation
- capacitation
- fertilization
- embryo development
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