Capacitation of mouse spermatozoa in vitro is brought about by epididymal secretions released into the m-Tgrode medium at the time of sperm collection. Epididymal mouse sperm suspension achived by centrifugation were preincubated for a total of 120min with aliquants being removed at 5, 30 and 120min. By gently centrifugation and resuspending in fresh medium, the fertilizing rate of unwashed 5-and 30-min suspensions was increased such that 30-min washed samples did not differ significiantly from full capacitated, highly fertile 120-min unwashed samples. When epididymal suspension was added fertilization of cumulus intact oocyte was markedly inhibited, although fertilization of zona free oocytes was unaffected. Washing sperm suspensions preincubated in the absence of $Ca^{2+}$ with the subsequent introduction of exogenous $Ca^{2+}$ resulted in a significant increase in fertilization rates over equivalent unwashed samples.