scholarly journals Magnetic Micromotors for Multiple Motile Sperm Cells Capture, Transport, and Enzymatic Release

2020 ◽  
Vol 132 (35) ◽  
pp. 15139-15147
Author(s):  
Haifeng Xu ◽  
Mariana Medina‐Sánchez ◽  
Oliver G. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0253628
Author(s):  
Sarah K. Lamar ◽  
Nicola J. Nelson ◽  
Jennifer A. Moore ◽  
Helen R. Taylor ◽  
Susan N. Keall ◽  
...  

Successful reproduction is critical to the persistence of at-risk species; however, reproductive characteristics are understudied in many wild species. New Zealand’s endemic tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), the sole surviving member of the reptile order Rhynchocephalia, is restricted to 10% of its historic range. To complement ongoing conservation efforts, we collected and characterized mature sperm from male tuatara for the first time. Semen collected both during mating and from urine after courting contained motile sperm and had the potential for a very high percentage of viable sperm cells (98%). Scanning electron microscopy revealed a filiform sperm cell with distinct divisions: head, midpiece, tail, and reduced end piece. Finally, our initial curvilinear velocity estimates for tuatara sperm are 2–4 times faster than any previously studied reptile. Further work is needed to examine these trends at a larger scale; however, this research provides valuable information regarding reproduction in this basal reptile.


2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Sarlós ◽  
A. Molnár ◽  
M. Kókai ◽  

The aim of the present study was to develop a treatment supporting the membrane of ram spermatozoa. Semen of different ejaculates collected from breeding rams was mixed andsamples of 109 sperm cells per ml and Tris-egg yolk extender were completed with the following antioxidants: a-tocopherol acetate (E), glutathione peroxidase (GP), Aromex® (AR), resveratrol (R), resveratrol + vitamin E (RE), resveratrol + Aromex® (RAR), resveratrol + GP (RGP). Peroxidation was evaluated by the analysis of malondialdehyde (MDA) during incubation for 30, 60 and 120 min at 37°C as well as during a 24-h incubation at 5°C. The success of preservation was checked in a 9-day-long period by observing the acrosomal defects and the motility of spermatozoa. Concentration of MDA was 4.06 nmol/109 spermatozoa in samples treated with 15 µg R while the control sample contained 69.79 nmol MDA per 109 spermatozoa after 24-h incubation. Following 30-, 60- and 120-min storage the concentration of MDA in control and R-treated samples was 25.89, 36.91, 49.57 and 3.69, 3.74, 3.74 nmol/109 spermatozoa, respectively. Moreover, a significantly higher proportion of motile sperm cells was observed in the treated than in the control samples. The frequency of acrosomal defects was lower in the treated groups than in the control. These results indicate that RAR treatment can improve the effects of ram semen preservation.


2003 ◽  
Vol 80 ◽  
pp. 238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilton I. Kort ◽  
Joe B. Massey ◽  
Carlene W. Elsner ◽  
Andrew A. Toledo ◽  
Dorothy Mitchell-Leef ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 284-285
Author(s):  
Randi F Benefield ◽  
Richard A Mudarra ◽  
Tsung-Cheng Cheng Tsai ◽  
Christopher R Hansen ◽  
Charles V Maxwell ◽  
...  

Abstract The objective was to examine the influence of prenatal (Experiment 1) or postnatal (Experiment 2) exposure to gossypol from cottonseed meal (CSM) on semen quality in commercial boars. In Experiment 1, pregnant sows (n = 5) were fed a diet containing 0% (n = 1), 0.04% (n = 2), or 0.08% (n = 2) gossypol between d 56 and 86 of gestation. Boars (n = 11) born to sows in each treatment group (0% gossypol n = 3; 0.04% gossypol n = 4; 0.08% gossypol n = 4) were fed a common diet without CSM, and semen was collected at 269±2 d of age using a live sow in estrus. In Experiment 2, boars (n = 21) were fed a diet containing 0%, 0.02%, or 0.04% gossypol between 63±1 and 105±1 d of age (Initial BW: 19.85±0.43 kg). After the treatment period, boars were fed a common diet without CSM, and semen was collected at 238±7 d of age using a breeding dummy. Sperm cell concentration, percentage of motile sperm cells, and percentage of progressively motile sperm cells were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with treatment as a fixed effect in Experiment 1 and 2 and dam as a random effect in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, semen was not successfully collected from every boar; therefore, chi-square analysis was used to assess semen collection status between treatment groups using the FREQ procedure of SAS. In Experiment 1, there was no difference in sperm concentration (P = 0.45), percent motility (P = 0.71), or percent progressive motility (P = 0.27) between treatment groups. In Experiment 2, there was no difference in sperm concentration (P = 0.72), percent motility (P = 0.17), or percent progressive motility (P = 0.87) between treatment groups. No difference was observed in boar collection status between treatment groups (P = 0.77). In conclusion, prenatal or postnatal exposure to gossypol from CSM did not influence semen quality in commercial boars.


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (No. 10) ◽  
pp. 399-407
Author(s):  
Zuzana Biniová ◽  
Luděk Stádník ◽  
Martina Doležalová ◽  
Jaromír Ducháček

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different thawing protocols (slow (P1), medium (P2), and fast (P3)) on percentage of motile sperm (MOT) and percentage of sperm cells with intact membranes (INT) in Holstein (4 bulls; 72 samples) and Czech Fleckvieh (4 bulls; 72 samples) semen frozen-thawed in 4 ml and 8 ml volumes. MOT was analysed in fresh semen, as well as immediately after thawing (T0) and 30 min after thawing (T30). INT was analysed using hypoosmotic swelling test (HOS test) in fresh ejaculate (FE), after diluting (DE), and at T0. The differences between FE parameters and frozen-thawed ejaculate parameters, expressing changes that occur during cryopreservation, were calculated. Apart from the effect of thawing protocol, the effect of breed and the effect of quality of FE expressed by MOT immediately after collecting were evaluated, too. Unlike thawing of semen cryopreserved in straws (0.25 and 0.5 ml), thawing using the slow protocol (P1) was the most appropriate (P < 0.05) for both observed volumes. There were found significantly higher MOT in the volume of 8 ml in both T0 and T30 and in the volume of 4 ml in T30 in samples thawed using P1 and P2. MOT in T0 was significantly affected by breed in samples frozen in 8 ml and in T30 in samples frozen in 4 and 8 ml. There were found no significant differences in INT in all reported volumes, however decrease of INT during cryopreservation was affected by breed.


1970 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 81-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Jalal Uddin Sarder

The present study assessed the semen characteristics of bulls used for Artificial Insemination (AI) programme in Bangladesh with regard to season, ambient temperature and relative humidity. A total of 3720 semen samples from 71 bulls were collected from Central Cattle Breeding Station and Dairy Farm (CCBSDF), Savar, Dhaka, Rajshahi Dairy and Cattle Improvement Farm (RDCIF), Rajabarihat, Rajshahi and District Artificial Insemination Centre (DAIC), Rajshahi during 1995 - 2002. Semen was collected by artificial vaginal method once a week. Different seasons viz. spring, summer, autumn and winter had significant effect (P<0.05) on colour, density, mass activity, sperm concentration, sperm motility, total sperm cells/ejaculate, total number of motile sperm cells/ejaculate, number of semen doses per collection and postfreezing motility of sperm. The maximum values of these semen characteristics were found in summer. Ambient temperature groups of <21°C, 21-25°C, 25- 29°C and >29°C had significant (P<0.05) effect on all the semen characteristics except for volume of semen. The highest volume of semen was found at >29°C and the lowest at 25-29°C. The total number of sperm cells/ejaculate, total number of motile sperm cells/ejaculate and number of semen doses per collection were found in >29 °C temperature groups. Relative humidity groups of <65%, 65-75%, 75-85% and >85% had significant effect on all the semen characteristics excluding for volume of semen and number of semen doses per collection. The largest volume of semen, colour, mass activity, total sperm cells/ejaculate, total motile sperm cells/ejaculate and number of semen doses/collection were found in >85% relative humidity and the smallest in 65%-75% relative humidity. Finally, this study recommended that, summer season, ambient temperature groups of >29°C and Relative humidity groups of >85% are suitable for excellent semen characteristics. Key words: AI bulls; semen characteristics; season; temperature; relative humidity Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol. 26, 2007. pp. 81-88


2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
L. Defoin ◽  
A. Granados ◽  
M. Clos ◽  
I. Donnay

Sperm cryopreservation causes various types of damage, including membrane injury, oxidative stress, and loss of the acrosome. In cattle, the mortality rate after sperm cryopreservation reaches roughly 50%, and surviving sperm cells have a lower motility and lower fertility than their fresh counterparts. Large variations are also observed between bulls. The aim of this study was to analyse different motility parameters before and after freezing in order to establish correlations. The final objective is to determine, before freezing, parameters that could predict the characteristics of motility after freezing. A computer-assisted sperm analyser (Hobson Sperm Tracker) was used. We analyzed one ejaculate from 30 different bulls before and after freezing (minimum 300 spermatozoa/analysis). Reliable parameters (&lt;10% variation for the same ejaculate) were then selected and included VCL (curvilinear velocity), VAP (average path velocity), MAD (mean angular head displacement), ALH (amplitude of lateral head displacement), STR (straightness of path), and the percentage of motility (%Mot). Linear regressions were established between those parameters before and after freezing. Results are shown in Table 1. The velocity parameters (VAP, VCL, and STR) of the motile sperm were conserved after freezing. Moreover, ejaculates with a high proportion of motile sperm before freezing have, on average, better values for velocity parameters after freezing, while no correlation was found between the percentage of motile sperm before and after freezing. The only parameter of fresh sperm that seems to be correlated with the proportion of motile sperm cells after freezing is MAD (inverse correlation). This could mean that an ejaculate with a high proportion of spermatozoa showing important lateral displacements of the head is more sensitive to cryopreservation. Similarly, a high MAD before freezing was related to a low velocity after thawing. A high MAD could result from a high proportion of capacitated spermatozoa, which is detrimental to their survival and motility. In conclusion, few parameters related to the motility can predict the proportion of motile sperm after freezing. However, by combining several parameters, it seems possible to predict the characteristics of motility of the sperm. Although further investigations are needed, the present evaluation could be of interest to evaluate the freezability of ejaculates, to understand variations between bulls, or to set up new freezing protocols. Table 1 Coefficients of correlation (r2) before and after freezing, calculated from 30 ejaculates from 30 different bulls


2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (35) ◽  
pp. 15029-15037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haifeng Xu ◽  
Mariana Medina‐Sánchez ◽  
Oliver G. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document