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Díaz Ruiz E, González Ariza A, León Jurado JM, Arando Arbulu A, Bermúdez Oria A, Fernández Prior Á, Delgado Bermejo JV, Navas González FJ. Discriminant Analysis and Data Mining CHAID Decision Tree as Tools to Evaluate the Buffering Effect of Hydroxytyrosol on Reactive Oxygen Species in Rooster Sperm Cryopreservation. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3079. [PMID: 37835685 PMCID: PMC10571762 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193079] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sperm cryopreservation is effective in safeguarding genetic biodiversity in avian species. However, during this process, spermatozoa are very susceptible to plasma membrane peroxidation in the presence of high concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To mitigate this effect, the addition of exogenous antioxidants, such as hydroxytyrosol (3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol; HT), an antioxidant derived from olive oil, to the cryopreservation sperm diluent, could be useful. To verify this, a cryopreservation diluent was supplemented with different concentrations (0 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, 100 μg/mL, and 150 μg/mL) of HT. For this, semen was collected in 10 replicates from 16 roosters of the Utrerana avian breed, and a pool was prepared with the optimum quality ejaculates in each replicate. After cryopreservation, spermatozoa were thawed and different in vitro semen quality parameters were evaluated. A discriminant canonical analysis (DCA) was carried out and revealed that total motility (TM; Lambda = 0.301, F = 26,173), hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST; Lambda = 0.338, F = 22,065), and amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH, Lambda = 0.442; F = 14,180) were the variables with the highest discriminant power. Finally, a chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) decision tree (DT) was performed excluding fresh semen samples and ROS was found to be the most valuable variable to discriminate between the different established freezing groups. Samples in the absence of HT or with low concentrations of this antioxidant showed less desirable ROS values in cryopreserved rooster semen. The present study could lead to the improvement of cryopreservation techniques for the genetic material of local poultry breeds and optimize the conservation programs of endangered native avian breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Díaz Ruiz
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cordoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (E.D.R.); (A.A.A.); (J.V.D.B.); (F.J.N.G.)
| | - Antonio González Ariza
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cordoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (E.D.R.); (A.A.A.); (J.V.D.B.); (F.J.N.G.)
- Agropecuary Provincial Centre, Diputación Provincial de Córdoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain;
| | | | - Ander Arando Arbulu
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cordoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (E.D.R.); (A.A.A.); (J.V.D.B.); (F.J.N.G.)
| | - Alejandra Bermúdez Oria
- Instituto de la Grasa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 41013 Sevilla, Spain; (A.B.O.); (Á.F.P.)
| | - África Fernández Prior
- Instituto de la Grasa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 41013 Sevilla, Spain; (A.B.O.); (Á.F.P.)
| | - Juan Vicente Delgado Bermejo
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cordoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (E.D.R.); (A.A.A.); (J.V.D.B.); (F.J.N.G.)
| | - Francisco Javier Navas González
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cordoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; (E.D.R.); (A.A.A.); (J.V.D.B.); (F.J.N.G.)
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Eberhardt M, Prochowska S, Partyka A, Bielas W, Van Soom A, Olech W, Niżański W. The morphology, morphometry and functionality of fresh and cryopreserved wisent (Bison bonasus) epididymal spermatozoa. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13866. [PMID: 37620548 PMCID: PMC10449768 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40798-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Epididymal spermatozoa obtained post mortem are considered a valuable source of genetic material which is often irrevocably lost. This makes these gametes constitute a key element in protection and restitution programs. The wisent (Bison bonasus, Linnaeus 1758) is a species that survived in zoos after extinction from its natural habitat. This resulted in a narrowing of the genetic pool of the whole population, which is at present derived from only 12 ancestors. Currently, wisent protection programs are aimed at preserving the genetic diversity by establishing a germplasm bank. The objective of this study was to comprehensively characterize the morphology, morphometry and functionality of wisent epididymal spermatozoa and evaluate the effectiveness of their cryopreservation in extender based on Tris buffer and chicken egg yolk. The median total number of spermatozoa obtained from one individual was 1985.0 × 106 (62.5 × 106-7452.0 × 106). These gametes were characterized by median: 40.0% (0.5-70.0%) subjective motility, 69.8% (32.5-90.0%) viability and 54.3% (10.5-83.3%) normal morphology. The sperm head had a median size of 5.0 μm (3.5-6.7 μm) width, 8.5 μm (6.4-11.3 μm) length and 36.9 μm2 (23.7-48.6 μm2) surface area. The viable population of the obtained gametes was characterized by median values 53.2% (4.5-80.3%) of intact sperm membrane, 50.8 (26.0-76.6%) of intact acrosome, 0.4% (0-98.7%) of fragmented chromatin, 5.9% (0.0-88.8%) of cells with high mitochondrial potential and 42.1% (8.3-63.7%) without lipid peroxidation. The viable population of the frozen/thawed gametes was characterized by median values: 18.4% (2.4-57.9%) of intact sperm membrane, 35.1 (11.9-56.7%) of intact acrosome, 0.07% (0-89.2%) of fragmented chromatin, 12.8% (0.0-49.7%) of cells with high mitochondrial potential and 16.3% (2.2-53.6%) without lipid peroxidation. Due to the material originating from a relatively large number of wild individuals, the research presented here contributed to the description of certain species standards for the assessment of wisent epididymal spermatozoa. The presented effect of cryopreservation on these gametes justifies the use of an extender based on Tris buffer with the addition of chicken egg yolk. The obtained effects are satisfactory from the point of view of preserving valuable genetic material and their use in ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eberhardt
- Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Plac Grunwaldzki 49, 50-366, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Sylwia Prochowska
- Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Plac Grunwaldzki 49, 50-366, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Partyka
- Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Plac Grunwaldzki 49, 50-366, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Wiesław Bielas
- Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Plac Grunwaldzki 49, 50-366, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Ann Van Soom
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Wanda Olech
- Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8 St., 02-786, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wojciech Niżański
- Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Plac Grunwaldzki 49, 50-366, Wrocław, Poland.
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Terán E, Azcona F, Ramón M, Molina A, Dorado J, Hidalgo M, Ross P, Goszczynski D, Demyda-Peyrás S. Sperm morphometry is affected by increased inbreeding in the Retinta cattle breed: A molecular approach. Mol Reprod Dev 2021; 88:416-426. [PMID: 34009693 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The effect of inbreeding depression on sperm motility is well documented, but its influence on sperm morphometry has been scarcely examined to date. Here, we combined the use of computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis (CASMA) with a SNP-based genomic approach to determine and characterize the effect of inbreeding on the sperm shape of a highly inbred cattle population. We determined seven morphometric parameters on frozen-thawed sperm samples of 57 Retinta bulls: length (L, µm), width (W, µm), area (A, µm2 ), perimeter (P, µm), ellipticity (ELI; L/W), elongation (L-W)/(L + W) and perimeter-to-area shape factor (p2a; P2 /4 × π × A). The comparison of highly inbred (HI) and lowly inbreed (LI) individuals based on runs of homozygosity (ROH) inbreeding values (F ROH ) showed no differences between groups. An additional two-step unsupervised sperm subpopulation analysis based on morphometric parameters showed significant differences in the abundance of different sperm subpopulations between groups (p < 0.05). This analysis revealed that HI bulls harbored a higher percentage of narrow-head sperm as opposed to the higher percentage of large- and round-headed sperm detected in LI. A further genomic characterization revealed 23 regions differentially affected by inbreeding in both groups, detecting six genes (SPAG6, ARMC3, PARK7, VAMP3, DYNLRB2, and PHF7) previously related to different spermatogenesis-associated processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Terán
- IGEVET - Instituto de Genética Veterinaria, UNLP - CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, UNLP - CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florencia Azcona
- IGEVET - Instituto de Genética Veterinaria, UNLP - CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Manuel Ramón
- CERSYRA-Centro Regional de Selección y Reproducción Animal de Castilla-La Mancha, Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Valdepeñas, España
| | - Antonio Molina
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, España
| | - Jesús Dorado
- Grupo de Reproducción Veterinaria, Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, España
| | - Manuel Hidalgo
- Grupo de Reproducción Veterinaria, Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, España
| | - Pablo Ross
- Department of Animal Science, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Daniel Goszczynski
- Department of Animal Science, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Sebastián Demyda-Peyrás
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, UNLP - CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Characterization of Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Sperm Based on Morphometric Traits. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10050355. [PMID: 33922110 PMCID: PMC8143526 DOI: 10.3390/biology10050355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Dolphins are one of the best adapted aquatic mammalians in captivity. While these animals can reproduce naturally in aquaria, many aspects related to their reproduction are still unknown. Their behavior, sociability with humans and ability to learn make dolphins ideal subjects for investigating their reproduction features for conservation programs aimed at this aquatic species and others. It is known that dolphins use a multi-male mating strategy, in which sperm competition could play a fundamental role. This study aims to characterize the shape and dimensions of dolphin sperm from two mature males and putatively classifies them into subpopulations. Moreover, the influence of sex hormone levels (testosterone) and refrigeration (temperature and storage period) with sperm dimension was evaluated. The results indicated that sperm dimensions and shape differed between the two males studied and that the sperm of both males could be classified into two subpopulations depending on their dimensions. Moreover, both testosterone levels and refrigeration were seen to influence sperm dimensions. This investigation provides new insights into sperm competition in dolphin species, and the results could be extrapolated to other endangered aquatic mammalian species. Abstract Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) males follow many reproductive strategies to ensure their paternity. However, little is known about the sperm traits, including morphometric features, that contribute to their reproductive success. Our aim was to study dolphin sperm morphometry (a total of 13 parameters) in two adult males to evaluate (i) presumptive sperm subpopulations, (ii) the correlation of sperm morphometry with testosterone levels and (iii) the effect of refrigerated storage on the sperm morphometry. Sperm populations were classified into four principal components (PCs) based on morphometry (>94% of cumulative variance). The PCs clustered into two different sperm subpopulations, which differed between males. Furthermore, the levels of serum testosterone were positively correlated with the length of the midpiece but negatively correlated with head width and the principal piece, flagellum and total sperm lengths. Most of the sperm morphometric parameters changed during the storage period (day 1 vs. day 7), but only the principal piece length was affected by the storage temperature (5 °C vs. 15 °C). This is the first study to identify dolphin sperm subpopulations based on morphometry and the influence of serum testosterone and refrigeration on sperm morphometry.
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Valverde A, Castro-Morales O, Madrigal-Valverde M, Camacho M, Barquero V, Soler C, Roldan ERS. Sperm kinematic subpopulations of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248270. [PMID: 33690716 PMCID: PMC7942986 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been very limited use of computer assisted semen analysis (CASA) to evaluate reptile sperm. The aim of this study was to examine sperm kinematic variables in American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) semen samples and to assess whether sperm subpopulations could be characterized. Eight ejaculates (two ejaculates/male) from four sexually mature captive crocodiles were obtained. An ISAS®v1 CASA-Mot system, with an image acquisition rate of 50 Hz, and ISAS®D4C20 counting chambers were used for sperm analyses. The percentages of motile and progressively motile spermatozoa did not differ among animals (P > 0.05) but there was a significant animal effect with regards to kinematic variables (P < 0.05). Principal component (PC) analysis revealed that kinematic variables grouped into three components: PC1, related to velocity; PC2 to progressiveness and PC3 to oscillation. Subpopulation structure analysis identified four groups (P < 0.05), which represented, on average, 9.8%, 32.1%, 26.8%, and 31.3% of the total sperm population. Males differed in the proportion of sperm in each of the kinematic subpopulations. This new approach for the analysis of reptile sperm kinematic subpopulations, reflecting quantifiable parameters generated by CASA system technology, opens up possibilities for future assessments of crocodile sperm and will be useful in the future development of assisted reproduction for these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Valverde
- Costa Rica Institute of Technology, School of Agronomy, Cartago, Alajuela, Costa Rica
- Department of Cellular Biology, Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of Valencia, Burjassot, Spain
| | | | | | - Marlen Camacho
- Costa Rica Institute of Technology, School of Agronomy, Cartago, Alajuela, Costa Rica
| | - Vinicio Barquero
- Costa Rica Institute of Technology, School of Agronomy, Cartago, Alajuela, Costa Rica
| | - Carles Soler
- Department of Cellular Biology, Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of Valencia, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Eduardo R. S. Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
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Al-Mutary MG, Al-Ghadi MQ, Ammari AA, Al-Himadi AR, Al-Jolimeed AH, Arafah MW, Amran RA, Aleissa MS, Swelum AAA. Effect of different concentrations of resveratrol on the quality and in vitro fertilizing ability of ram semen stored at 5 °C for up to 168 h. Theriogenology 2020; 152:139-146. [PMID: 32408027 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different concentrations of resveratrol on head morphology, motility characteristics, oxidative state and in vitro fertility of cooled ram spermatozoa. Pooled semen from three Najdi rams was diluted with Triladyl® having different concentrations of resveratrol, zero (control), 200 μM (45.65 μg/mL) and 400 μM (91.30 μg/mL) resveratrol, then stored at 5 °C for 168 h. The head morphometric, sperm kinematic parameters, Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and in vitro fertilizing capability of ram spermatozoa were evaluated after 24, 72, 120 and 168 h of cooling storage. The total motility (TM) of the sperm with resveratrol at 200 μM and 400 μM was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than that in the control group at 72 and 120 h of cooling storage. On the other hand, the progressive motility (PM) of the sperm with resveratrol at 200 μM and 400 μM was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than that in the control group at 168 h of cooling storage period. After 168 h of cooling storage, significantly higher straightness (STR) was observed in 400 μM group than two other groups and in 200 μM group than the control group. Both resveratrol groups had higher linearity (LIN) than control one at 120 and 168 h of cooling storage. The length, width and area of sperm head were lower (P ≤ 0.05) in the control compared to the other treatment groups after 120 and 168 h of storage. There was a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentration in the two resveratrol groups compared with the control one over the seven days of cooling storage and the same result was found in the reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration at 24, 72, and 168 h of storage. There was a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in the 400 μM resveratrol group than that in two other groups over the seven days of storage period. Cleavage and blastocyst rates following in vitro fertilization were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in 400 μM resveratrol than other groups at 72 h for cooling storage period. In conclusion, addition of resveratrol in the extender can protect sperm head morphology, improve kinematic parameters and in vitro fertility, and reduce oxidative stress of ram spermatozoa during liquid storage at 5 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen G Al-Mutary
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Education, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 2375, Dammam, 14513, Saudi Arabia; Basic and Applied Scientific Research Center, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muath Q Al-Ghadi
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aiman A Ammari
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Thamar University, Yemen
| | - Ahmed R Al-Himadi
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohammed W Arafah
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ramzi A Amran
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Thamar University, Yemen
| | - Mohammed S Aleissa
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ayman Abdel-Aziz Swelum
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt; Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
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Barbas JP, Leahy T, Horta AE, García-Herreros M. Sperm kinematics and subpopulational responses during the cryopreservation process in caprine ejaculates. Cryobiology 2018; 82:137-147. [PMID: 29571632 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Sperm cryopreservation in goats has been a challenge for many years due to the detrimental effects of seminal plasma enzymes produced by the bulbo-urethral glands which catalyse the hydrolysis of lecithins in egg yolk to fatty acids and lysolecithins which are deleterious to spermatozoa. This fact implies to carry out additional processing steps during sperm cryopreservation for seminal plasma removal triggering different sperm responses which may affect sperm functionality. The objective of the present study was to determine specific sperm subpopulation responses in different handling steps during the cryopreservation process by using functional sperm kinematic descriptors in caprine ejaculates. Buck ejaculates (n = 40) were analysed for sperm concentration, viability, morphology and acrosome integrity. Moreover, sperm motility was assessed using a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system after five different handling steps (fresh sperm, 1st washing, 2nd washing, cooling and frozen-thawed sperm) during a standard cryopreservation protocol for goat semen. The results were analysed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and multivariate clustering procedures to establish the relationship between the distribution of the subpopulations found and the functional sperm motility in each step. Except for the 1st and 4th steps, four sperm kinematic subpopulations were observed explaining more than 75% of the variance. Based on velocity and linearity parameters and the subpopulations disclosed, the kinematic response varies among processing steps modifying sperm movement trajectories in a subpopulation-specific and handling step-dependent manner (p < 0.001). The predominant motile subpopulation in freshly ejaculated buck sperm had very fast velocity characteristics and a non-linear trajectory (41.1%). Washing buck sperm twice altered the subpopulation structure as well as cooling which resulted in a dramatic reduction in sperm velocities (p < 0.01). Frozen-thawed spermatozoa showed similar characteristics to cooled sperm except there was a further increase in linearity with a large proportion of sperm attributed to new slow, linear cluster (32.5%). In conclusion, this study confirms the variability and heterogeneity of goat sperm kinematic patterns throughout the cryopreservation process and suggests that the predominant motility pattern (assayed in vitro via CASA) of high quality spermatozoa might be typified by high speed and a non-linear trajectory. The relationships among the number and distribution of sperm subpopulations and the different handling steps were particularlly relevant, specially after the cooling and the post-thawing steps, when effects derived from these critical handling steps were evident and altered drastically the sperm motion patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Barbas
- National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (I.N.IA.V., I.P.), Santarém, Portugal
| | - T Leahy
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - A E Horta
- National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (I.N.IA.V., I.P.), Santarém, Portugal
| | - M García-Herreros
- National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (I.N.IA.V., I.P.), Santarém, Portugal.
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García-Vázquez FA, Gadea J, Matás C, Holt WV. Importance of sperm morphology during sperm transport and fertilization in mammals. Asian J Androl 2017; 18:844-850. [PMID: 27624988 PMCID: PMC5109874 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.186880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
After natural or artificial insemination, the spermatozoon starts a journey from the site of deposition to the place of fertilization. However, only a small subset of the spermatozoa deposited achieves their goal: to reach and fertilize the egg. Factors involved in controlling sperm transport and fertilization include the female reproductive tract environment, cell-cell interactions, gene expression, and phenotypic sperm traits. Some of the significant determinants of fertilization are known (i.e., motility or DNA status), but many sperm traits are still indecipherable. One example is the influence of sperm dimensions and shape upon transport within the female genital tract towards the oocyte. Biophysical associations between sperm size and motility may influence the progression of spermatozoa through the female reproductive tract, but uncertainties remain concerning how sperm morphology influences the fertilization process, and whether only the sperm dimensions per se are involved. Moreover, such explanations do not allow the possibility that the female tract is capable of distinguishing fertile spermatozoa on the basis of their morphology, as seems to be the case with biochemical, molecular, and genetic properties. This review focuses on the influence of sperm size and shape in evolution and their putative role in sperm transport and selection within the uterus and the ability to fertilize the oocyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco A García-Vázquez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia 30100, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Joaquín Gadea
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia 30100, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Carmen Matás
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia 30100, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - William V Holt
- Department of Human Metabolism, Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Sheffield S10 2SF, UK
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García-Herreros M. Sperm subpopulations in avian species: a comparative study between the rooster ( Gallus domesticus) and Guinea fowl ( Numida meleagris). Asian J Androl 2017; 18:889-894. [PMID: 27751988 PMCID: PMC5109881 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.188448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The main aims of this research were to study possible differences in objective morphometric sperm characteristics, establish normative sperm morphometry standards, and evaluate the presumed different subpopulation distribution of avian spermatozoa from the rooster (Gallus domesticus) and Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) as model avian species. Seventy-two ejaculates (36 per species studied) were obtained manually, following a training period involving gently combined dorso-abdominal and lumbo-sacral massage of the birds. Ejaculates were processed for volume, sperm concentration, viability, motility, and morphology. Moreover, samples were submitted for sperm morphometric assessment using objective Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis for Morphometry (CASA-Morph) methods, with sperm morphometric descriptors evaluated by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and multivariate clustering analyses. There were several differences observed between the avian species in values obtained for ejaculate volume and sperm concentration (P < 0.001). Irrespective of species, PCA revealed two Principal Components (PCs) explaining more than 80% of the variance. In addition, the number of subpopulations differed with species (three and five subpopulations for rooster and Guinea fowl, respectively). Moreover, the distribution of the sperm subpopulations was found to be structurally different between species. In conclusion, our findings from using CASA-Morph methods indicate pronounced sperm morphometric variation between these two avian species. Because of the strong differences observed in morphometric parameter values and their subpopulation distribution, these results suggest that application of objective analytical methods such as CASA-Morph could substantially improve the reliability of comparative studies and help establish valid normative sperm morphological values for avian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel García-Herreros
- National Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENESCYT), Quito, Ecuador
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Gutiérrez-Reinoso MA, García-Herreros M. Normozoospermic versus teratozoospermic domestic cats: differential testicular volume, sperm morphometry, and subpopulation structure during epididymal maturation. Asian J Androl 2017; 18:871-878. [PMID: 27624990 PMCID: PMC5109878 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.187583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Teratozoospermia (<40% morphologically normal spermatozoa/ejaculate) is a frequent phenomenon in feline species. This research was carried out to study the possible differences in testicular volume, differential sperm morphometric traits, and potential differences regarding the sperm subpopulational structure during epididymal sperm maturation in teratozoospermic feline donors. Epididymal sperm samples were collected from the caput (R1), corpus (R2), and cauda (R3) epididymidis in two donor groups (N: normozoospermic; T: teratozoospermic). Aliquots were assessed for concentration, viability, motility, and acrosomal integrity. Sperm morphometric descriptors from CASA-Morph analysis were analyzed by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and clustering analyses. Irrespective of the group analyzed, PCA revealed two Principal Components (PCs) for each epididymal region explaining more than the 93% of the variance. Surprisingly, the number of subpopulations remained constant in regions R1-R2-R3 irrespective of the donor group analyzed. However, the distribution of these subpopulations was found to be structurally different and strongly influenced by the epididymal region and the donor group. In conclusion, testicular morphometry and the sperm subpopulation structure were different in N and T donors. The alterations in subpopulations during epididymal maturation could be used as a potential clinical indicator of teratozoospermic individuals since an important influence of teratozoospermia on sperm subpopulation structure has been demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuel García-Herreros
- National Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENESCYT), Quito, Ecuador
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11
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Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that sperm head morphometry can be used as a potential diagnostic tool for detecting biophysical changes associated with sperm viability in bovine spermatozoa. In this study, sperm head morphometry was used to investigate its value as a biophysical marker for detecting volumetric changes in bovine spermatozoa under in vitro capacitating and non-capacitating incubation conditions. To further test this hypotesis, aliquots of pooled, washed bovine sperm were incubated in either Tyrode's complete medium with heparin (TCMH; a capacitating medium containing Ca2+, NaHCO3 and heparin), Tyrode's complete medium heparin-free (TCM; a medium containing just Ca2+ and NaHCO3) or Tyrode's basal medium (TBM; a non-capacitating medium free of Ca2+, NaHCO3 and heparin, used as control). Aliquots of sperm were processed for morphometric analysis at different incubation-time intervals (0, 3 and 6 h at 38°C), and the chlortetracycline assay was used simultaneously to confirm the ability of the sperm to undergo capacitation (B pattern) and the acrosome reaction (AR pattern) status in each medium. After 3 h of incubation under TCMH conditions, a significant increase was observed in the percentage of B and AR patterns and a significant decrease was found in all sperm morphometric parameters (P<0.01). Interestingly, after 6 h of incubation in TCMH, the percentage of B and AR patterns increased drastically over time and marked differences were found in the dimensional and shape parameters, which were significantly smaller compared with TBM or TCM media (P<0.001). Significant correlations were observed between sperm size and AR pattern (r=-0.875, P<0.01). In conclusion, sperm head morphometry can be used as a potential biophysical marker for detecting volumetric changes during capacitation process in bovine spermatozoa.
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Park YC, Smith JB, Pham T, Whitaker RD, Sucato CA, Hamilton JA, Bartolak-Suki E, Wong JY. Effect of PEG molecular weight on stability, T₂ contrast, cytotoxicity, and cellular uptake of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2014; 119:106-14. [PMID: 24877593 PMCID: PMC4108172 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2014.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are currently unavailable as MRI contrast agents for detecting atherosclerosis in the clinical setting because of either low signal enhancement or safety concerns. Therefore, a new generation of SPIONs with increased circulation time, enhanced image contrast, and less cytotoxicity is essential. In this study, monodisperse SPIONs were synthesized and coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) of varying molecular weights. The resulting PEGylated SPIONs were characterized, and their interactions with vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were examined. SPIONs were tested at different concentrations (100 and 500 ppm Fe) for stability, T2 contrast, cytotoxicity, and cellular uptake to determine an optimal formulation for in vivo use. We found that at 100 ppm Fe, the PEG 2K SPIONs showed adequate stability and magnetic contrast, and exhibited the least cytotoxicity and nonspecific cellular uptake. An increase in cell viability was observed when the SPION-treated cells were washed with PBS after 1h incubation compared to 5 and 24h incubation without washing. Our investigation provides insight into the potential safe application of SPIONs in the clinic.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Biological Transport
- Cattle
- Cell Survival/drug effects
- Cells, Cultured
- Coated Materials, Biocompatible/chemistry
- Coated Materials, Biocompatible/pharmacology
- Contrast Media/chemistry
- Contrast Media/pharmacology
- Ferrosoferric Oxide/chemistry
- Magnetite Nanoparticles/chemistry
- Molecular Weight
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/cytology
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/drug effects
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/metabolism
- Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/cytology
- Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/drug effects
- Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/metabolism
- Polyethylene Glycols/chemistry
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonjee C Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jared B Smith
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Tuan Pham
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ragnhild D Whitaker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Christopher A Sucato
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - James A Hamilton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 700 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Elizabeth Bartolak-Suki
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Joyce Y Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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