四种渗透性防冻剂在猕猴精子低温冷冻保存中对精子功能状态的影响

以冷冻精子的复苏运动度、荧光染料Hoechst 3 3 2 5 8检测的细胞膜完整率、异硫氰酸荧光素标记的花生凝集素 (FITC PNA)检测的顶体完整率作为精子功能状态的指标 ,对甘油、二甲亚砜、乙二醇和丙二醇 4种常用渗透性防冻剂在猕猴精子冷冻保存过程中的作用进行了比较。结果表明 :冷冻保存精子的复苏运动度 ,甘油 ( 4 7 3± 5 7% )和乙二醇 ( 4 4 8± 6 7% ) >二甲亚砜 ( 2 2 9± 0 9% ) >丙二醇 ( 0± 0 % ) ;细胞膜完整率 ,甘油 ( 5 4 8± 3 2 % )和乙二醇 ( 5 4 0± 6 7% ) >二甲亚砜 ( 3 7 5± 7 0 % ) >丙二醇 ( 2 8 3± 6 5 % ) ;顶体完整率 ,甘油 ( 82 2± 2 4 % )和乙二醇 ( 82 4± 2 4 % ) >二甲亚砜 ( 6 8 7± 5 7% )和丙二醇 ( 72 3±3 5 % ) (P <0 0 5 )。结果提示 :二甲亚砜和丙二醇 ,尤其是丙二醇并不适合猕猴精子的冷冻保存 ;而乙二醇具有和甘油相似的保护作用 ,是一种极具潜力的猕猴精子冷冻保存的渗透性防冻剂。     

不同渗透压的稀释液对猕猴精子低温冷冻保存的影响

以稀释液TTE(382mOsm/kg)为对照,研究了5种渗透压(688、389、329、166、43mOsm/kg)的TEST稀释液(TEST、mTEST1、mTEST2、mTEST3、mTEST4)在冷冻过程中对猕猴精子功能的影响。精液一步稀释于含甘油的防冻液中,甘油的终浓度为5%(v/v)。在冷冻前后分别检测精子的运动度和质膜完整性,后者用Hoechst33342和碘化丙锭双色标记流式细胞术分析。结果表明:冷冻之前,与鲜精相比,用TEST和mTEST4稀释的精子运动度和质膜完整性显著降低(P<0·001),其余组中除mTEST2稀释的精子质膜完整性显著降低(P<0·05)外,精子运动度无差异;冷冻复苏后,TTE、mTEST3和mTEST1冻存精子的运动度和质膜完整性最高,其次是mTEST2,TEST和mTEST4冷冻效果最差(P<0·05)。提示等渗、适当高渗或低渗的稀释液适合猕猴精子的冷冻保存;对精子产生高渗毒害作用是导致猕猴精子用TEST冷冻存活率低的主要原因。     

长牡蛎精子超低温冷冻后超微结构损伤研究

采用程序降温仪分步降温冷冻保存长牡蛎（Crassostrea gigas）精液,并用扫描电镜、透射电镜研究了精子的超微结构损伤。超低温冷冻保存后长牡蛎精子的运动率、受精率及孵化率与鲜精无显著差异。鲜精中84.5%的精子形态结构正常,冻精中73%的精子形态结构正常。形态结构正常的精子表现为顶体、质膜、线粒体与鞭毛结构完整、染色质形状规则,顶体、线粒体及中心粒结构正常,鞭毛形态完整、微管结构清晰;形态结构异常的精子表现为顶体脱落、解体,精子头部质膜膨胀、破裂、染色质肿胀、破裂、解体,线粒体移位、脱落、膨胀,嵴退化或消失,鞭毛弯折、断裂,微管解聚。结果显示,以10% DMSO为抗冻保护剂,HBSS溶液为稀释液,1:4的稀释比例,添加海藻糖,采用分步降温法冷冻保存,对长牡蛎精子具有较好的抗冻保护作用,合适的冻存方法可以有效的保护太平洋牡蛎精子冷冻过程中结构损伤。研究有助于长牡蛎种质资源的收集保存及应用。     

不同甘油浓度与平衡时间对食蟹猴精液冷冻效果的影响

探讨了不同甘油浓度(3%、5%、7%、11%)和不同平衡时间(30、60、90、120min)对食蟹猴(Macaca fascicularis)精液冷冻效果的影响,以建立和优化食蟹猴精液冷冻的程序。参照TTE稀释液成分组成改良型TTE,冷冻前和解冻后均检测精子的活力、畸形率、质膜完整性、顶体完整率。结果显示,平衡时间为30min时精子的冷冻解冻后活力、复苏率均高于平衡时间90min和120min组,差异显著(P<0.05),比60min组稍好;甘油浓度为3%、5%组的精子冷冻解冻后活力及复苏率均高于甘油浓度11%组,差异显著(P<0.05),比7%组好;不同甘油浓度各组间以及不同平衡时间各组间畸形率、质膜完整性、顶体完整率差异不显著(P<0.05)。由此得出如下结论,在食蟹猴精液冷冻中,在改良TTE中加入3%~5%的甘油且平衡30min可以获得较好效果,精子冻后活率和复苏率达到45%和62%。     

秦岭大熊猫精液的细管冷冻保存

2008年3月1日至4月27日和2009年3月3日至5月1日,在陕西省珍稀野生动物抢救饲养研究中心对处于繁殖期内的4只雄性秦岭大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis)精液进行了细管冻精实验。比较组成不同的4种稀释液:葡萄糖-果糖-柠檬酸三钠-卵黄-甘油-双抗(稀释液1)、葡萄糖-蔗糖-柠檬酸三钠-卵黄-甘油-双抗(稀释液2)、葡萄糖-柠檬酸三钠-卵黄-甘油-双抗(稀释液3)和美国进口的TEST(加入3.5%甘油),以及直接降温平衡法(方法 1)与逐级降温平衡法(方法 2)2种冷冻保存操作方法,对秦岭大熊猫精液进行细管冷冻保存后精子活力和顶体完整率的影响。结果表明:稀释液1的精子活力为46.25%±11.67%,顶体完整率为80.75%±7.89%,TEST的精子活力为48.75%±8.54%,顶体完整率为84.50%±7.59%,两者的精子活力和顶体完整率均无明显差异(P0.05),但是都明显高于稀释液2(P﹤0.01)和稀释液3(P﹤0.01);采用方法 1冷冻保存秦岭大熊猫精液,解冻后精子的活力和顶体完整率分别为45.67%±10.54%和81.37%±8.42%,都显著高于方法 2(P﹤0.01);方法 1解冻后畸形率为23.50%±3.51%,明显低于方法 2(P﹤0.01)。经比较确定,方法 1(用稀释液1)是一种较好的细管冷冻保存秦岭大熊猫精液的方法。     

几种冷冻稀释液与单胺类防冻剂对中缅树鼩精子冷冻存活率的影响

该文实验精子采自昆明地区经笼养驯化的树鼩(Tupaia belangeri),检测其冷冻前后运动度、顶体完整率以及检测部分冷冻精子的受精能力。实验一:选用8种已报道的冷冻稀释液TTE、TCG、TCF、TTG、BWW、BTS、DM、SR稀释鲜精,并添加0.4mol/LDMSO,4℃预冷平衡2h后,TTE、DM和SR稀释液的精子的运动度与鲜精无差别(P>0.05),其余处理组均显著下降(P<0.05)。冷冻复苏后,各组的运动度显著低于预冷平衡处理后的运动度(P<0.05);DM组的复苏运动度显著高于其他稀释液组(P<0.05),BWW组最低(P<0.05)。对于顶体完整率,与鲜精相比,4℃平衡2h后,TTE和DM组精子的顶体完整率显著高于BWW、BTS和SR组(P<0.05)。冷冻复苏后,DM组精子的顶体完整率显著高于其它(除了TTE)冷冻组(P<0.05)。实验二:在DM稀释液基础上分别添加4种浓度0.2、0.4、0.8和1.2mol/L的二甲基甲酰胺(DF)、甲酰胺(F)、二甲乙酰胺(DA)和乙酰胺(A)以及0.4mol/LDMSO,经过预冷平衡处理后,与鲜精相比,各防冻剂组的精子运动度没有下降(P>0.05);冷冻解冻后,各冷冻组精子的运动度显著低于预冷平衡处理后的精子运动度(P<0.05);0.8mol/LDF和0.4mol/LDMSO组精子的运动度显著高于其它冷冻组(P<0.05)。对于顶体完整率,预冷平衡处理后各高浓度组的比率显著下降;冷冻复苏后,0.4mol/LF和0.4mol/LDF组精子的顶体完整率相对较高。实验三,人工授精实验中,DM+0.8mol/LDF冷冻精子的受精率为16.7%,DM+0.4mol/LDMSO的受精率为50.0%。以上实验结果提示,含卵黄的非离子冷冻稀释液对树鼩精子冷冻保护效果好,但单胺类防冻剂的防冻效果还需进一步深入研究。     

淫羊藿多糖对弱精症精子冷冻保存效果的影响

常用的冷冻保护剂对于弱精症精子冻融效果欠佳,本实验通过在人精子冷冻保护液中添加淫羊藿多糖(EPS),研究其对冻融过程中精子活力及精子功能的影响。选择弱精症精液15例,液化后的精液样本分别与甘油-卵黄-柠檬酸盐(GEYC)冷冻保护液或含有EPS冷冻保护液混匀冷冻。检测其精子的活力、存活率以及精子形态、丙二醛(MDA)以及活性氧(ROS)的含量,精子核碎裂指数(DFI),精子顶体反应率(AR),并通过透射电镜观察精子微观结构的变化。添加EPS后精子MDA和ROS水平明显降低,含有3 mg/mL EPS的冷冻组抗氧化性明显优于其他组(P0.05);含有EPS的冷冻组复苏后的存活率以及精子头部正常形态率都明显高于未添加组,但是两组间的精子前向运动PR无显著差异;此外,添加EPS的冷冻组精子DFI下降显著,AR明显升高;电镜观察精子头部显微结构显示,添加EPS组的精子在质膜以及顶体膜完整性上明显优于未添加组。结果提示,在精液冷冻保护液中添加EPS可降低精子活性氧的水平,保护精子顶体结构和功能,从而改善解冻后精子顶体功能和精子核的完整性。     

冷冻—解冻猪精子的超微结构观察

自从50年代初Polge发现甘油有卓越的防冻作用以后,动物精液冷冻技术发展很快。现在,奶牛和羊冷冻精液已广泛应用于人工授精和体外受精中,效果与鲜精接近,而猪冷冻精液在人工授精后虽也能产仔,但妊娠率与每窝产仔数均下降(Johnson等,1981);体外受精率可达85％以上,但精子浓度需用5—6×10_7精子/ml,比鲜精用量提高25—100倍(Wang等,1991)。顶体形态正常精子的减少是造成冷冻精液受精率低的重要原因之一(Pursel,1979),用光镜不能清楚地观察顶体的形态变化,但运用电镜技术对猪冷冻-解冻精子的顶体形态的超微结构研究报道不多(Courtens等,1985;Hashizume,1990)。针对猪冷冻—解冻精子体内/体外受精能力降低的问题,我们用透射电镜对冷冻的猪精子解冻0 h及4 h后精子顶体与头部质膜的超微结构变化进行了观察。     

猪精子冷冻损伤研究进展

综述了猪冻存精子顶体、质膜和线粒体的形态学变化及其对精子受精能力的影响,同时分析了冻融精子中所发生的蛋白质、DNA等生物大分子的变化及其可能对冻存精子质量及受精能力的影响,指出冷冻保存过程对精子蛋白质、DNA等生物大分子质和量的影响是精子冷冻损伤的实质,应用先进的蛋白组学进行猪精子冷冻损伤机理研究,有助于深刻揭示冷冻损伤的分子机理,为推动猪精液冷冻保存技术研究取得突破性进展提供理论依据。     

两种冷冻保护剂和冷冻程序对兔精子冷冻效果的比较

目的比较不同冷冻保护剂和冷冻程序对兔精子冷冻保护的影响,以期提高兔精子冷冻保存的效果和效率。方法用三步降温法（程序Ⅰ）和两步降温法（程序Ⅱ）两种冷冻程序与终浓度分别为2%,3%,4%,5%的甘油和乙酰胺两种冷冻保护剂配合进行精液冷冻保存,统计精子复苏率。结果使用程序Ⅱ添加3%乙酰胺的冷冻保护剂实验组的精子复苏率较高,同其它组比较差异有显著性意义（P〈0.05）;程序Ⅱ比程序Ⅰ节省约70%的时间,同种浓度冷冻保护剂的不同冷冻程序组之间精子复苏率差异无显著性意义（P〉0.05）。结论程序Ⅱ与3%乙酰胺配合可以取得良好的冷冻保存效果;用程序Ⅱ进行兔精液冷冻保存可以大幅缩短操作时间。     

Status of cryopreservation of embryos from domestic animals.

The discovery of glycerol as an effective cryoprotectant for spermatozoa led to research on cryopreservation of embryos. The first successful offspring from frozen-thawed embryos were reported in the mouse and later in other laboratory animals. Subsequently, these techniques were applied to domestic animals. Research in cryopreservation techniques have included studies concerning the type and concentration of cryoprotectant, cooling and freezing rates, seeding and plunging temperatures, thawing temperatures and rates, and methods of cryoprotectant removal. To date, successful results based on pregnancy rates have been obtained with cryopreserved cow, sheep, goat, and horse embryos but no success has been reported in swine. Post-thaw embryo survival has been shown to be dependent on the initial embryo quality, developmental stage, and species. The freezing techniques most frequently used in research and by commercial companies are identified as "equilibrium" cryopreservation. In this technique the embryos are placed in a concentrated glycerol solution (1.4 M in PBS supplemented with BSA) at room temperature and the glycerol is allowed to equilibrate for a 20-min period. During the cooling process the straws are seeded (-4 to -7 degrees C) and cooling is continued at a rate of 0.3 to 0.5 degree C/min to -30 degrees C when bovine embryos may be plunged into LN2. Sheep embryos are successfully frozen with ethylene glycol (1.5 M) or DMSO (1.5 M) rather than with glycerol. Horse embryos have been frozen in 0.5 rather than 0.25 cc straws but with cooling rates and seeding and plunging temperatures similar to those used with bovine embryos. Swine embryos have shown a high sensitivity to temperature and cryoprotectants probably due to their high lipid content and a temperature decrease to 15 or 10 degrees C causes a dramatic increase in the percentage of degenerated embryos. However, a recent study has shown that hatched pig blastocysts survived exposure below 15 degrees C. Recent research has shown that embryos may also be frozen by a "nonequilibrium" method. This rapid freezing by vitrification consists of dehydration of the embryo at room temperature by a very highly concentrated vitrification media (3.5 to 4.0 M) and a very rapid freeze that avoids the formation of ice allowing the solution to change from a liquid to a glassy state. Vitrification solutions consist of combinations of sucrose, glycerol, and propylene glycol. With this technique, 50% pregnancy rates have been reported with the bovine blastocyst.     

Cryopreservation of boar semen: equilibrium freezing in the cryomicroscope and in straws

Supercooling causes very abrupt temperature and osmotic changes and can thus lead to freezing damage. Supercooling can be prevented by seeding, using a sample volume and geometry that allows rapid spreading of the ice throughout the sample. In a split-sample comparison of such samples on the cooling stage of a cryomicroscope and seeded at -5 and -15 degrees C, respectively, the percentages of membrane-intact sperm and sperm with acrosomes with a 'normal apical ridge' (NAR) were 72.5+/-3.8 and 75.8+/-2.0 versus 46.3+/-4.8 and 36.0+/-3.7 (means+/-S.E.M., n=4). In ejaculates of 15 unselected AI boars, after seeding at -5 degrees C, the post-thaw % live and % NAR were 66.3+/-10.4 and 74.8+/-7.5, respectively. Our present research is aimed at translating these findings to freezing in straws and at a high sperm concentration. We have designed a novel type of freezing apparatus for controlled-rate freezing of straws, in which supercooling can be effectively prevented in the entire straw. In a split-sample comparison of semen frozen in straws at a sperm concentration of 1.5 x 10(9) cells/ml with nine ejaculates from eight unselected AI boars, we found 54.8+/-1.9% versus 40.7+/-1.7% (means+/-S.E.M.) membrane-intact sperm for the new apparatus and a conventional freezing apparatus, respectively. With bull semen (eight ejaculates from six bulls), we obtained 67.3+/-3.0% versus 59.3+/-2.9% (means+/-S.E.M.) membrane-intact sperm for the new apparatus and conventional freezing, respectively. Additionally, the temperature curve after ice nucleation is of great importance. We have developed a model that allows us to predict that optimal cryopreservation requires a non-linear cooling curve in which the cooling rate varies as a function of subzero temperature.     

Congelation of cryoprotective solutions and cryopreservation of fish sperm

A study was made of the formation of ice microparticles (IMP) during freezing of cryoprotective media and the survival of fish sperm in cryopreservation. The IMP shape and size were determined by cryomicroscopy. It is shown that with an increase of the cooling rate the IMP area and perimeter decrease. Under ultrafast cooling (3000–4000 deg/min) in a thin layer (0.1 mm) the medium is vitrified. Additional components (egg yolk, sugars and lipids) substantially alter the shape and size of IMP. The intactness of sperm after cryopreservation does not always correlate with the IMP size and shape in the frozen cryoprotective solution. Formation of rounded particles with blurred boundaries correlates with sperm survival in cryopreservation.     

激光打孔技术在小鼠卵子冷冻保存上的运用

目的比较卵子冷冻复苏后、以及复苏卵子经过激光打孔后,与新鲜精子、冷冻复苏精子体外受精,受精率的变化。方法 （1）通过免疫荧光染色技术,判断卵子冷冻前后透明带糖蛋白-2、微丝以及细胞核的变化;（2）冷冻C57BL/6J小鼠卵子,复苏后一部分卵子打孔,一部分不打孔,然后与9个品系的新鲜精子和冷冻精子体外受精,比较各组受精率的变化。结果 （1）新鲜卵子组透明带糖蛋白-2、微丝及细胞核结构清晰,而冷冻组以及冷冻剂处理组,微丝结构略有变化,透明带糖蛋白-2受到不同程度的损伤,而细胞核在冷冻前后无明显变化;（2）9个品系的新鲜精子与C57BL/6J复苏卵子受精率为17.6%～42.9%,平均为29.6%;新鲜精子与复苏打孔卵子受精率为29.1%～72.3%,平均为49.7%,差异显著（P〈0.05）;9个品系复苏精子与复苏卵子体外受精率为5.4%～23%,平均为15.5%;复苏精子与复苏打孔卵子受精率为16.7%～48.6%,平均为28.8%,差异显著（P〈0.05）。结论 （1）冷冻对卵子的透明带糖蛋白-2有较大的损伤,对微丝有一定的影响,但是对染色体没有影响;（2）冷冻卵子复苏后,体外受精率下降明显,但是复苏卵子经过激光打孔后,可以显著提高体外受精率。     

系统低温生物学技术在实验小鼠资源保存中的建立与应用

目的建立小鼠胚胎与配子冷冻库,以安全、有效地保存小鼠资源。方法选择不同遗传背景（近交系、远交群、免疫缺陷、疾病模型和基因改变等）的实验小鼠,系统进行了超数排卵、体外受精（IVF）率、胚胎与精子的冷冻复苏效果、卵巢冷冻与移植、辅助体外受精等比较研究。结果①小鼠年龄和遗传背景的不同,其超数排卵的结果也不同（P〈0．01）。三个日龄段中,28日龄最好,其次为112日龄,56日龄最差;不同遗传背景小鼠的超数排卵结果显示,封闭群和大部分近交系小鼠优于转基因小鼠（P〈0．05）,自发性疾病小鼠和基因剔除小鼠的结果最差;②不同品系小鼠的新鲜精子和冻融精子的体外受精率差异有显著性（P〈0．05）,特别是C57BL／6J小鼠冻融精子的IVF率（10．3±4．2％）与新鲜精子（89．8±4.8％）相比,差异极显著（P〈0．01）;③不同品系小鼠的胚胎复苏率,除MRL／mp小鼠的复苏率略低外,其他小鼠品系均有较高的冷冻胚胎复苏率（58．2％～83．9％）,表明,不同遗传背景小鼠之间差异有显著性（P〈0．05）,但均可以达到有效保存小鼠资源的目的。④小鼠的遗传背景、年龄等对小鼠精子的冷冻效果都有影响,采用改良的FERTIUP冷冻保护剂和细胞质内单精注射（ICSI）技术可有效提高以C57BL／6J为背景的基因改变小鼠的精子冷冻复苏率。⑤卵巢冷冻保存可以改善雌性小鼠的繁殖困难或不孕。结论小鼠资源的安全保存,除了长期连续繁殖保种外,最好的或最保险的方法是低温保存。通过将胚胎、配子、卵巢等长期保存在液氮（-196℃）中避免遗传性状的改变,并在将来复苏后获得正常的小鼠后代,以用于生物学和医学等研究。     

牙鲆胚胎冷冻损伤的观察

为了观察牙鲆胚胎在冷冻保存过程中的形态受损情况,将其浸入20%PM（20%丙二醇和20%甲醇1∶1的混合液）中平衡,并用程序化法和玻璃化法对其冷冻保存2h后解冻,用摄影显微镜记录其在抗冻剂里平衡时和冷冻保存后的形态。结果显示在平衡过程中胚胎卵膜出现凹陷（称为溶液损伤）,但可以恢复;在冷冻过程出现胞内冰损伤,是致命的;用程序化法冷冻保存的尾芽期胚胎卵膜和卵黄完好,胚体边缘受伤;用玻璃化法保存的尾芽期胚胎,卵膜和卵黄损伤较重,胚体损伤较轻;因此将玻璃化法和程序化法结合可以达到扬长避短的效果。     

Cryopreservation of murine spermatozoa

Cryopreservation of mouse sperm provides an economic option for preserving the large number of mouse strains now being generated by transgenic and targeted mutation methodologies. The ability of a spermatozoan cell to survive cryobiological preservation depends on general biophysical constraints that apply to all cells, such as the avoidance or minimization of the formation of intracellular ice during cooling. This action is typically achieved by use of cryoprotectant substances and by controlled, slow rates of cooling. Superimposed on those general constraints may be special characteristics of mouse spermatozoa, such as more narrow, osmotically driven volume tolerance limits and the fact that relatively successful freezing can be obtained without the use of a permeating cryoprotective agent. The lack of important information regarding sperm cells fundamental cryobiological properties, including their osmotic and membrane permeability characteristics, has hindered progress in developing anything but empirically derived methods. Genetic differences between inbred mouse strains are reflected in motility and fertility characteristics of mouse sperm and contribute to the difficulty of developing successful cryopreservation methods. Recovery of live young from frozen sperm has been much more successful with sperm from hybrid mice than from most inbred strains. There have been no published reports of successful cryopreservation of rat sperm. Nevertheless, in mice, success in deriving live young from intracytoplasmic sperm injection using sperm frozen under suboptimal conditions raises the possibility of using this technique for the ultimate rescue of sperm regardless of the success of cryopreservation. This technique, however, requires additional development and verification of its efficacy before it will be suitable for general laboratory use. Although cryopreservation of mouse sperm is not yet universally successful, it can be used reliably to supplement cryopreservation of embryos and other germline cells or tissues for preserving biomedically important strains of mice for research.     

Sensitivity of human embryonic stem cells to different conditions during cryopreservation

Low cell recovery rate of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) resulting from cryopreservation damages leads to the difficulty in their successful commercialization of clinical applications. Hence in this study, sensitivity of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to different cooling rates, ice seeding and cryoprotective agent (CPA) types was compared and cell viability and recovery after cryopreservation under different cooling conditions were assessed. Both extracellular and intracellular ice formation were observed. Reactive oxidative species (ROS) accumulation of hESCs was determined. Cryopreservation of hESCs at 1 °C/min with the ice seeding and at the theoretically predicted optimal cooling rate (TPOCR) led to lower level of intracellular ROS, and prevented irregular and big ice clump formation compared with cryopreservation at 1 °C/min. This strategy further resulted in a significant increase in the hESC recovery when glycerol and 1,2-propanediol were used as the CPAs, but no increase for Me₂SO. hESCs after cryopreservation under all the tested conditions still maintained their pluripotency. Our results provide guidance for improving the hESC cryopreservation recovery through the combination of CPA type, cooling rate and ice seeding.     

A Novel Approach to Identifying Physical Markers of Cryo-Damage in Bull Spermatozoa

Cryopreservation is an efficient way to store spermatozoa and plays a critical role in the livestock industry as well as in clinical practice. During cryopreservation, cryo-stress causes substantial damage to spermatozoa. In present study, the effects of cryo-stress at various cryopreservation steps, such as dilution / cooling, adding cryoprtectant, and freezing were studied in spermatozoa collected from 9 individual bull testes. The motility (%), motion kinematics, capacitation status, mitochondrial activity, and viability of bovine spermatozoa at each step of the cryopreservation process were assessed using computer-assisted sperm analysis, Hoechst 33258/chlortetracycline fluorescence, rhodamine 123 staining, and hypo-osmotic swelling test, respectively. The results demonstrate that the cryopreservation steps reduced motility (%), rapid speed (%), and mitochondrial activity, whereas medium/slow speed (%), and the acrosome reaction were increased (P < 0.05). Differences (Δ) of the acrosome reaction were higher in dilution/cooling step (P < 0.05), whereas differences (Δ) of motility, rapid speed, and non-progressive motility were higher in cryoprotectant and freezing as compared to dilution/cooling (P < 0.05). On the other hand, differences (Δ) of mitochondrial activity, viability, and progressive motility were higher in freezing step (P < 0.05) while the difference (Δ) of the acrosome reaction was higher in dilution/cooling (P < 0.05). Based on these results, we propose that freezing / thawing steps are the most critical in cryopreservation and may provide a logical ground of understanding on the cryo-damage. Moreover, these sperm parameters might be used as physical markers of sperm cryo-damage.     

Cryopreservation of Acropora digitifera sperm with use of sucrose and methanol based solution

Coral biodiversity has recently been considered an important topic in environmental studies. Biodiversity could be preserved with successful cryopreservation of endangered species gametes or embryos. Herein, we developed cryopreservation protocols for Acropora digitifera sperm with use of sucrose and methanol based extender. We studied cryopreservation of A. digitifera sperm with floating frames, allowing the placement of 250 μl French straws 4 cm above the liquid nitrogen surface, resulting in a 40 °C/min freezing rate. This method enabled the successful cryopreservation of sperm in 0.9 M sucrose supplemented with 20% methanol. In this protocol, we used a 1:3 (sperm:extender) dilution ratio. The fertilization ratios of freezing:thawed sperm were similar to the control and reached 63%. This method might be a valuable option in the formation of A. digitifera gene banking. Further studies are needed to explore possibilities of using this method in cryopreservation of other coral’s sperm.