{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,30]],"date-time":"2026-10-30T20:59:28Z","timestamp":1793393968150,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":75,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773705600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":99,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,16]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>During epididymal transit, spermatozoa undergo crucial morphological, biochemical, and molecular modifications that enable the acquisition of motility, acrosomal remodeling, membrane reorganization, and chromatin stabilization, culminating in full maturation. This study investigated sperm motility, sperm head and acrosome remodeling, chromatin compaction (protamination), DNA integrity, and nuclear morphology in sperm collected from different epididymal regions (caput, corpus, and cauda) and the vas deferens in three closely related mouse species exhibiting varying levels of sperm competition. Using microscopy, fluorescent staining (Hoechst 33342, chromomycin A3), sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), and nuclear morphology software, we characterized these parameters. Results demonstrated a gradual acquisition of total and progressive motility from the caput onwards and a shift toward a more compacted acrosome, especially between corpus and cauda. Minor species-specific variations in nuclear shape and dimensions were observed. Chromatin compaction and DNA integrity significantly increased, evidenced by decreased chromomycin A3 positive cells and reduced DNA fragmentation indices (tDFI and HDS). A correlation between protamine status and DNA fragmentation appeared when data from all species were pooled. Mus musculus showed lower overall motility and a faster decline in loose acrosomes. M. spicilegus exhibited the most rapid sperm head compaction, whereas M. spretus had the highest sperm nuclear width and the lowest tDFI values. These findings reveal distinct changes in sperm maturation markers along the epididymis and suggest associations between these changes and sperm competition levels of these species. This enhances our understanding of sperm maturation mechanisms and may inform advances in reproductive technologies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/biolre\/ioaf269","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,5]],"date-time":"2025-12-05T13:44:13Z","timestamp":1764942253000},"page":"905-918","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Epididymal sperm maturation in mouse species with differing levels of sperm competition"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"114","author":[{"given":"Clara","family":"Agudo-Rios","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC) , calle Jos\u00e9 Guti\u00e9rrez Abascal 2, 28006-Madrid ,","place":["Spain"]},{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University , 1101 East Marshall Street, Richmond, VA23298-0034 ,","place":["USA"]},{"name":"Escuela de Doctorado, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Madrid , Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, calle Francisco Tom\u00e1s y Valiente 2, 28049-Madrid ,","place":["Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana","family":"Sanchez-Rodriguez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC) , calle Jos\u00e9 Guti\u00e9rrez Abascal 2, 28006-Madrid ,","place":["Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ingrid I D","family":"Idrovo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC) , calle Jos\u00e9 Guti\u00e9rrez Abascal 2, 28006-Madrid ,","place":["Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juan \u00c1ngel","family":"Laborda-Gomariz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAMB , Campus Universitario s\/n, 02071-Albacete ,","place":["Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana J","family":"Soler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), ETSIAMB , Campus Universitario s\/n, 02071-Albacete ,","place":["Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anthony","family":"Valverde","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, School of Agronomy, Costa Rica Institute of Technology , Campus Tecnol\u00f3gico Local San Carlos, Alajuela ,","place":["Costa Rica"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7035-2202","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria E","family":"Teves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University , 1101 East Marshall Street, Richmond, VA23298-0034 ,","place":["USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7545-4248","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eduardo R S","family":"Roldan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC) , calle Jos\u00e9 Guti\u00e9rrez Abascal 2, 28006-Madrid ,","place":["Spain"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026031712245975700_ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23S","DOI":"10.1002\/j.1939-4640.1994.tb01699.x","article-title":"Function of human epididymal spermatozoa","volume":"15 Suppl","author":"Haidl","year":"1994","journal-title":"J Androl"},{"key":"2026031712245975700_ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"651","DOI":"10.1093\/humrep\/deac015","article-title":"Sperm acquire epididymis-derived proteins through 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