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Pezo F, Contreras MJ, Zambrano F, Uribe P, Risopatron J, Andrade AFCD, Yeste M, Sánchez R. Thawing of cryopreserved sperm from domestic animals: Impact of temperature, time, and addition of molecules to thawing/insemination medium. Anim Reprod Sci 2024; 268:107572. [PMID: 39128319 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in optimizing the protocols intended to sperm cryopreservation in domestic animals. These protocols include initial cooling, freezing, and thawing. While different attempts have been devised to improve sperm cryopreservation, the efficiency of this reproductive biotechnology is still far from being optimal. Furthermore, while much attention in improving cooling/freezing, less emphasis has been made in how thawing can be ameliorated. Despite this, the conditions through which, upon thawing, sperm return to physiological temperatures are much relevant, given that these cells must travel throughout the female genital tract until they reach the utero-tubal junction. Moreover, the composition of the media used for artificial insemination (AI) may also affect sperm survival, which is again something that one should bear because of the long journey that sperm must make. Furthermore, sperm quality and functionality decrease dramatically during post-thawing incubation time. Added to that, the deposition of the thawed sperm suspension devoid of seminal plasma in some species during an AI is accompanied by a leukocyte migration to the uterine lumen and with it the activation of immune mechanisms. Because few reviews have focused on the evidence gathered after sperm thawing, the present one aims to compile and discuss the available information concerning ruminants, pigs and horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Pezo
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Medioambiente, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - María José Contreras
- Instituto de Ciencias Aplicadas, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco, Chile
| | - Fabiola Zambrano
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile; Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine-Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus (CEMT-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Pamela Uribe
- Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine-Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus (CEMT-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Jennie Risopatron
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile; Center of Excellence in Reproductive Biotechnology (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Faculty of Medicine, University of La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Andre Furugen Cesar de Andrade
- Department of Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marc Yeste
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Raúl Sánchez
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile; Center of Excellence in Reproductive Biotechnology (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Faculty of Medicine, University of La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
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Delgado-Bermúdez A. Insights into crucial molecules and protein channels involved in pig sperm cryopreservation. Anim Reprod Sci 2024:107547. [PMID: 38981798 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Cryopreservation is the most efficient procedure for long-term preservation of mammalian sperm; however, its use is not currently dominant for boar sperm before its use for artificial insemination. In fact, freezing and thawing have an extensive detrimental effect on sperm function and lead to impaired fertility. The present work summarises the basis of the structural and functional impact of cryopreservation on pig sperm that have been extensively studied in recent decades, as well as the molecular alterations in sperm that are related to this damage. The wide variety of mechanisms underlying the consequences of alterations in expression levels and structural modifications of sperm proteins with diverse functions is detailed. Moreover, the use of cryotolerance biomarkers as predictors of the potential resilience of a sperm sample to the cryopreservation process is also discussed. Regarding the proteins that have been identified to be relevant during the cryopreservation process, they are classified according to the functions they carry out in sperm, including antioxidant function, plasma membrane protection, sperm motility regulation, chromatin structure, metabolism and mitochondrial function, heat-shock response, premature capacitation and sperm-oocyte binding and fusion. Special reference is made to the relevance of sperm membrane channels, as their function is crucial for boar sperm to withstand osmotic shock during cryopreservation. Finally, potential aims for future research on cryodamage and cryotolerance are proposed, which might be crucial to minimise the side-effects of cryopreservation and to make it a more advantageous strategy for boar sperm preservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariadna Delgado-Bermúdez
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona ES-17003, Spain; Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona ES-17003, Spain.
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Fair S, Romero-Aguirregomezcorta J. Implications of boar sperm kinematics and rheotaxis for fertility after preservation. Theriogenology 2019; 137:15-22. [PMID: 31176491 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Artificial insemination (AI) is the single most important assisted reproductive technique devised to facilitate the genetic improvement of livestock. In the swine industry, it has broadly replaced natural service over the last number of decades which has been made possible by the high pregnancy rates and litter sizes obtainable with semen extended, up to, and sometimes beyond 5 d. Central to achieving good reproductive performance is the ability of boar studs to monitor semen quality, the basis of which has long been the assessment of sperm motility by subjective and, more recently, by more objective computerised systems. In this review, the literature on the relationship between sperm motility and kinematic parameters and field fertility is summarised. We discuss how this relationship is dependent on factors such as the viscosity of the media and the use of standard operating procedures. Emerging evidence is discussed regarding the importance of sperm rheotaxis and thigmotaxis as long-distance sperm guidance mechanisms, which enable motile functional spermatozoa to avoid the backflow of fluid, mucus and semen from the sow's uterus in the hours post AI, facilitating the establishment of sperm reservoirs in the oviducts. The literature on the use of microfluidics in studying sperm rheotaxis in vitro is also summarised, and we discuss how these systems, when combined with techniques such as lensless microscopy, have the potential to offer more physiological assessments of the swimming patterns of boar spermatozoa. Finally, possible future avenues of further investigation are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Fair
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, P61 C996, Ireland.
| | - J Romero-Aguirregomezcorta
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
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