Sperm survival kinetics in different types of bull semen: progressive motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal status and reactive oxygen species generation

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mushtaq Ahmad ◽  
Nasim Ahmad ◽  
Amjad Riaz ◽  
Muhammad Anzar

This study was designed to compare the kinetics of sperm survival in different types of bull semen. Fresh ejaculates from four bulls were pooled, diluted in Tris-citric acid-egg yolk-glycerol extender, cooled to 4°C, frozen in LN2 and thawed at 37°C. Fresh, diluted, cooled and frozen–thawed semen were incubated at 37°C, and evaluated at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 h after the beginning of incubation. In Experiment 1, progressive sperm motility, normal acrosomes and plasma membrane integrity and asymmetry were determined. In Experiment 2, generation of superoxide anion (O2•) along with plasma membrane permeability and generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) along with plasma membrane integrity were assessed. In Experiment 1, frozen–thawed semen had shorter survival times for progressive sperm motility, and spermatozoa with intact plasma membranes and acrosomes (IPM-IACR) as compared with other types of semen (P < 0.05). Fresh spermatozoa underwent a necrotic pathway, diluted and cooled spermatozoa underwent an apoptosis-like pathway and frozen–thawed spermatozoa underwent both necrotic and apoptosis-like pathways. In Experiment 2, spermatozoa in all four types of semen exhibited O2•– generation and increased plasma membrane permeability, and became necrotic without H2O2 generation during incubation (P < 0.05). In conclusion, frozen–thawed semen had shorter sperm longevity, which has important implications relating to the timing of artificial insemination. Different types of semen followed different death pathways. During incubation, spermatozoa in all types of semen generated O2•–, which increased the permeability and compromised the integrity of the plasma membrane.

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Lecewicz ◽  
W. Kordan ◽  
A. Majewska ◽  
S. Kamiński ◽  
A. Dziekońska ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine the effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on selected quality parameters of cryopreserved bull semen with reduced sperm motility used for artificial insemination. The aim of experiment 1 was to identify the optimal concentration of the phospholipid able to preserve sperm viability. Cryopreserved semen was treated with different PAF concentrations: 1×10-5M, 1×10-6M, 1×10-7M, 1×10-8M and 1×10-9M. The experiment demonstrated that PAF at concentration 1×10-9M increased most the sperm viability parameters (motility parameters, plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial function) after 120 min of incubation of thawed semen at 37°C. Cryopreserved bull semen with reduced sperm motility (below 70%) was supplemented with PAF in a concentration of 1×10-9M. A statistically significant increase in sperm motility, percentage of linear motile spermatozoa and VSL value was observed after 120 min incubation of sperm with 1×10-9M PAF. Sperm supplementation with PAF also had positive effects on plasma membrane integrity and percentage of spermatozoa with preserved mitochondrial transmembrane potential, but the differences were not statistically significant. The results indicated positive effects of PAF supplementation at a concentration of 1×10-9M on the selected sperm quality parameters in cryopreserved bull semen with reduced motility.


2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Penfold

Okapi would benefit from artificial insemination with frozen-thawed sperm in cases where aggression prevents mating or where individuals are geographically disparate. Effective sperm cryopreservation is a prerequisite to this goal. Ejaculates (n = 20) were collected from 7 anesthetized adult male okapi housed individually, or with a female for breeding, throughout the year by electroejaculation, and semen and sperm parameters were assessed. Semen aliquots were centrifuged; resuspended in 500 µL of PBS with the osmolarity adjusted to 35, 75, 150, 600, 1200, and 2400 mOsm; and incubated for 30 min before returning to isosmotic conditions. Semen was extended in TEST containing 1%, 2%, or 4% glycerol with or without 0.5% Equex (Minitube, Verona, WI, USA); 5-µL aliquots were cooled in a Latin square design on a Linkam BCS 196 cryomicrostage (Linkam Scientific, Tadworth, Surrey, UK) at 20�C min–1 to –6� –12�C at which point ice crystal formation was induced (seeded), and cooled further to –70�C before warming at 50�C min–1 to 35�C (okapi body temperature). To investigate cooling effects only, raw ejaculate was cooled to –6�C without seeding and warmed to 35�C. Percent sperm motility and plasma membrane integrity (PMI) were recorded before and after treatments. Differences were examined using one-way repeated measures analysis of variance. No differences in motility, total sperm numbers, or percent normal morphology were observed throughout the year (P > 0.05), although the power of the test was low so that negative findings should be interpreted cautiously. Mean semen volume was 1.3 � 0.19 mL, sperm motility was 29 � 3.2%, with a PMI of 39 � 6.8%; 48 � 2.8% were morphologically normal. High proportions of non-motile, plasma membrane-damaged cells were noted in every ejaculate, and whiplash motility, possibly indicating spontaneous capacitation, was observed in several ejaculates 1 h after collection. Motility was dramatically reduced on either side of isosmotic conditions and was more sensitive to osmotic pressure than was plasma membrane integrity. Cooling of raw ejaculate to sub-zero temperatures without freezing did not result in any loss of motility or PMI, indicating cold tolerence. Superior results were obtained when sperm were frozen-thawed in TEST containing 4% glycerol with 0.5% Equex. Findings indicate that okapi semen collected by electroejaculation routinely contain high numbers of non-motile and plasma membrane-damaged spermatozoa, apparently unrelated to season or the length of time since the male was housed with a breeding female. Okapi spermatozoa are remarkably intolerant of departures from isosmotic conditions, indicating a lack of ability to regulate or withstand volume excursions during osmotic stress events; however, cooling to sub-zero temperatures in the absence of cryoprotectant did not reduce percent sperm motility or PMI, indicating resistance to cold shock. Increasing and maintaining proportions of motile, membrane-intact spermatozoa prior to and during cryopreservation will be critical for development of freezing protocols for this species.


2009 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arash Kheradmand ◽  
Majid Taati ◽  
Homayoon Babaei

AbstractAlthough ghrelin acts as a modulator of feeding behavior and energy metabolism in the central nervous system, recent studies have implicated the peripheral actions of ghrelin in reproductive tissues. Here, we investigated the effects of chronic administration of ghrelin on the motility, plasma membrane integrity and concentration of rat spermatozoa. 45-d male Wistar rats were scheduled for the study and were divided into control and treatment groups. In the treatment group, 1 nmol of ghrelin was administered as sc injection for 10 consecutive days or vehicle (physiological saline) to the control rats. Sperm collection was achieved by killing of the rats on days 15, 25 and 50 after first injection. Total sperm motility and forward progressive movement did not exhibit significant difference during the experiment, although, there was a tendency for greater motion rate on d 15 and 25 in the treated rats compared to the control group. Plasma membrane integrity (HOS-reacted spermatozoa) was significantly higher in the treated animals, especially on day 15 as well as day 25, because of possible antioxidant properties of ghrelin. This value was statistically higher on day 15 than that of day 25 (P <0.05). Likewise, there was a significant correlation between the FPM (P <0.0001, r = 0.79) and TSM (P <0.01, r = 0.52) with the HOS test percentage in the treatment group. It was not observed statistically difference in the sperm concentration between groups during all of the experimental days. In conclusion, chronic administration of ghrelin (similar to induced by energy deficiency such as fasting) increased the integrity of sperm membrane, however, the sperm motility and concentration did not display any alterations.


2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 571-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Kordan ◽  
M. Lecewicz ◽  
R. Strzeżek ◽  
A. Dziekońska ◽  
L. Fraser

Effect of platelet activating factor (PAF) supplementation in semen extender on viability and ATP content of cryopreserved canine spermatozoa The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of platelet activating factor (PAF) on the quality characteristics of cryopreserved canine spermatozoa. Cryopreserved semen of 5 mixed-breed dogs was treated with different concentrations of exogenous PAF (1 × 10-3M, 1 × 10-4M, 1 × 10-5M and 1 × 10-6M) and examined at different time intervals (0, 30, 60 and 120 min). Cryopreserved semen treated without PAF was used as the control. Sperm quality was evaluated for motility (computer-assisted semen analysis, CASA), mitochondrial function (JC-1/PI assay) and plasma membrane integrity (SYBR-14/PI assay and Hoechst 33258). Also, ATP content of spermatozoa was determined using a bioluminescence assay. Treatment of cryopreserved semen with 1 × 10-3 M PAF at 120 min of incubation resulted in significantly higher total sperm motility compared with the control. It was observed that PAF-improved total sperm motility was concurrent with enhanced sperm motility patterns after treatment of cryopreserved semen. Treatment of cryopreserved semen with PAF did not improve either sperm mitochondrial function or plasma membrane integrity, as monitored by different fluorescent membrane markers. Furthermore, ATP content of cryopreserved spermatozoa was significantly higher when PAF was used at a concentration of 1 × 10-3 M compared with the control and other PAF treatments, regardless of the incubation time. The findings of this study indicated that treatment with 1 × 10-3 M PAF at 120 min of incubation rendered better quality of cryopreserved canine semen, which was associated with improved sperm motility parameters and ATP content. It can be suggested that exogenous PAF addition is beneficial as a supplement for canine semen extender used for.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 733-746
Author(s):  
Marek Lecewicz ◽  
Rafał Strzeżek ◽  
Anna M. Majewska ◽  
Piotr S. Purpurowicz ◽  
Władysław Kordan

AbstractArtificial insemination (AI) and semen cryopreservation are the most accessible and commonly used techniques for breeding domestic animals. Among many parameters, such as plasma membrane integrity and acrosome structure, one of the key factors that determine the quality of frozen-thawed samples for artificial insemination is sperm motility. Sperm motility is one of the key parameters that determine the quality of frozen-thawed samples for AI. The total number of progressively motile spermatozoa in thawed canine semen is correlated with fertility. A variety of substances were used to compare sperm motility with the control. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of semen extender supplementation with motility stimulants, pentoxifylline (PTX), caffeine (CAF) and 2’-deoxyadenosine (DX), after different post-thaw incubation times (30, 60, 120 min) on the motility, selected kinematic parameters, plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential of cryopreserved canine spermatozoa. During attempts to improve the quality of cryopreserved semen, the applied substances exerted beneficial effects at a concentration of 10 mM. We demonstrated that both phosphodiesterase inhibitors, caffeine and pentoxifylline, as well as 2’-deoxyadenosine increased the motility and selected kinematic parameters of thawed canine spermatozoa.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (03) ◽  
pp. 24-29
Author(s):  
A. J. Dhami ◽  
Tapasvi M Patel ◽  
DV Chaudhari

This study was undertaken during the winter season on healthy mature Gir cattle and Murrah buffalo bulls (n=3 each). The semen samples (6 ejaculates/bull, total 36 ejaculates) collected in the morning using artificial vagina were evaluated for routine seminal attributes, including acrosomal and plasma membrane integrity. The samples were then diluted @ 100 million sperm/ml with tris fructose yolk glycerol extender without and with sericin @ 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0% (w/v), filled in French mini-straws, and frozen in LN2 using biofreezer as per standard freezing protocol. Straws were thawed in water bath at 37°C for 30 sec and evaluated for post-thaw quality, viz., motility, viability, morphology, acrosome integrity and plasma membrane integrity (HOST). Lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde - MDA production) and activities of enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were assessed as oxidative markers in seminal plasma of freshly diluted and frozen-thawed semen samples. Sericn at 0.5% level significantly (p less than 0.01) improved the post-thaw sperm quality with reduced oxidative stress in both the species. The breed-wise correlation coefficients (r) among sperm quality attributes and oxidative markers were studied in fresh and frozen-thawed semen of each species, and also for fresh with frozen-thawed semen. The findings revealed significant interrelationships amongst most of the attributes of fresh as well as post-thawed semen and also of fresh semen attributes with those of cryopreserved semen including oxidative markers in both the species. Sperm motility estimation in fresh, pre-freeze and post-thawed semen was a legitimately good indicator of quality of spermatozoa at various steps of semen processing/freezing, and its fertilizing potential. Thus, the sperm motility, HOS test and either MDA or SOD/GPx activity alone may be used as valuable and practical tools for routine assessment of bovine semen quality considering significant correlations found between them.


Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Abdel-Aziz Swelum ◽  
Islam M. Saadeldin ◽  
Hani Ba-Awadh ◽  
Mohsen G. Al-Mutary ◽  
Abdullah F. Moumen ◽  
...  

This study compared the efficiency of commercial egg yolk-free (AndroMed, OPTIXcell) and egg yolk-supplemented (Triladyl, Steridyl) Tris-based extenders for semen cryopreservation in seven adult dromedary camels. The camel-specific extender SHOTOR was used as control. The collected semen samples were evaluated and diluted with SHOTOR, Triladyl, Steridyl, AndroMed, or OPTIXcell. The diluted semen was gradually cooled and equilibrated for two hours before liquid nitrogen freezing. Semen was evaluated prior to freezing and after freeze-thawing cycles for motility, kinetics, vitality, abnormality, plasma membrane integrity, and DNA fragmentation using computer-assisted sperm analysis. In pre-freezing evaluation, progressive sperm motility was higher in SHOTOR-diluted samples (21.54 ± 1.83) than in samples diluted with Steridyl, OPTIXcell, or AndroMed (15.76 ± 1.80, 17.43 ± 1.10, and 13.27 ± 1.07, respectively). Moreover, Triladyl and SHOTOR resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) better sperm vitality and DNA integrity than all other diluents, but Triladyl resulted in a significantly (p < 0.05) better plasma membrane integrity (87.77 ± 0.31) than SHOTOR (85.48 ± 0.58). In the post-thawing evaluation, Triladyl led to significantly (p < 0.05) higher sperm motility (38.63 ± 0.81%; p < 0.05) when compared to SHOTOR, Steridyl or AndroMed (35.09 ± 1.341%, 34.4 ± 0.84%, and 31.99 ± 1.48%, respectively), with OPTIXcell being the least efficient (28.39 ± 0.86%). Progressive sperm motility was the highest when using Triladyl. Post-thawing curvilinear, straight line and average path sperm velocities were highest with Triladyl and lowest with AndroMed. Triladyl led to the highest linearity coefficient and straightness sperm coefficient, while SHOTOR to the highest DNA and plasma membrane integrity. OPTIXcell and AndroMed resulted in poor post-thawing sperm vitality, while Steridyl was less efficient than Triladyl. The highest rate of sperm abnormalities was recorded with OPTIXcell and the lowest with SHOTOR or Triladyl. In conclusion, SHOTOR, Triladyl, Steridyl, AndroMed, and OPTIXcell can all be used for camel semen cryopreservation; however, SHOTOR and Triladyl provided the best post-thawing sperm quality. Based on our findings, Triladyl is the best commercially available extender for dromedary camel semen cryopreservation to date.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1462
Author(s):  
Manuel Hidalgo ◽  
Maria Diaz-Jimenez ◽  
César Consuegra ◽  
Blasa Pereira ◽  
Jesús Dorado

Vitrification by direct exposure of sperm to liquid nitrogen is increasing in popularity as an alternative to conventional freezing. In this study, the effect of permeable cryoprotectant agents for donkey sperm vitrification was compared to an extender containing non-permeable cryoprotectants. First, three different concentrations of sucrose (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 molar, M) and bovine serum albumin, BSA (1, 5, and 10%) were compared. Secondly, the concentration of non-permeable agents producing the most desirable results was compared to an extender containing glycerol as permeable agent. Vitrification was performed by dropping 30 μL of sperm suspension directly into LN2 and warming at 42 °C. Sperm motility (total, TM; and progressive, PM) and plasma membrane integrity, PMI (mean ± SEM) were statistically compared between treatments. Sucrose 0.1 M showed a significantly higher percentage of total sperm motility (21.67 ± 9.22%) than sucrose 0.2 M (14.16 ± 4.50%) and 0.3 M (8.58 ± 6.22%); and no differences were found in comparison to the control (19.71 ± 10.16%). Vitrification with sucrose 0.1 M or BSA 5% obtained similar results for TM (21.67 ± 9.22% vs. 19.93 ± 9.93%), PM (13.42 ± 6.85% vs. 12.54 ± 6.37%) and PMI (40.90 ± 13.51% vs. 37.09 ± 14.28); but both showed higher percentages than glycerol (TM = 9.71 ± 4.19%; PM = 5.47 ± 3.17%; PMI = 28.48 ± 15.55%). In conclusion, donkey sperm vitrification in spheres using non-permeable cryoprotectants exhibited better sperm motility and viability parameters after warming than sperm vitrification using extenders containing permeable cryoprotectants.


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