Phagocytosis of human post-capacitated spermatozoa by macrophages

Earlier studies demonstrated that macrophages phagocytize spermatozoa in the female genital tract of mammals. In spite of this phagocytosis, fecundity is not affected, raising questions of how the resulting decrease in the number of spermatozoa does not reduce the fertilization rate and of the role of this phagocytosis. We hypothesized that its role is to rid the female genital tract of spermatozoa past their fertilizing stage (post-capacitated spermatozoa). Here we examined whether, indeed, phagocytosis is restricted to post-capacitated spermatozoa.