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。     

猪精液冷冻影响因素的研究进展

由于在经济生产中的重要意义,猪精液冷冻保存技术已成为研究的焦点。文章综述了国内外猪精液冷冻技术的研究成果,主要阐述精液的冷冻保存原理,并从冷冻稀释液和冷冻保护剂、冷冻方法和解冻方法等方面阐述了猪精液冷冻的影响因素。     

非人灵长类动物精子冻存技术的研究进展

随着生物医学技术的发展,应用非人灵长类动物模型进行基础科学研究日益广泛。与此同时,由于栖息地破坏、狩猎和基因隔离,许多非人灵长类动物濒临灭绝。因此,改进非人灵长类动物精子冻存技术对物种遗传资源的保藏具有重要的意义。本文概述了非人灵长类动物的精液特征,介绍了精液液化和冷冻精子质量评估的方法,分析了冷冻保护剂、冷冻稀释液及冷冻方法等因素对精子冻存效果的影响,总结了目前非人灵长类精子冷冻常用的冷冻保存液和冷冻方法,并对相关精子参数进行了比较,同时探讨了非人灵长类动物精子冻存研究面临的困境,并提出了可行的方案。总之,本文综述了近年来非人灵长类动物精子冻存的重要研究成果,对开发新的冷冻保护剂及改进冷冻技术具有一定的参考价值。     

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。     

冷冻保护剂及预冷时间对河蟹精子体外冷冻保存的影响

本文以甘油、二甲亚砜（DMSO）为冷冻保护剂,采用两步降温法,以精子存活率和DNA损伤程度为检验其冷冻效果的评价指标,研究了冷冻保护剂和预冷时间对河蟹Eriocheir sinensis精子冷冻保存效果的影响。胰蛋白酶消化法获得河蟹游离精子,液氮冷冻保存8h以上,精子保存密度为10^7个／mL,伊红染色法检测精子存活率,单细胞凝胶电泳（SCGE）检测精子DNA损伤。实验共设置10个组,分别为不同浓度的单一冷冻保护剂（每种保护剂的体积百分比分别为5％、10％、12．5％、15％）和两种保护剂组合（两种保护剂在同一实验组巾的体积百分比含量均为5％、10％）。结果显示,12．5％甘油的保存效果最佳,精子存活率达到62．60％。在此基础上,以10％甘油作为冷冻保护剂,设置5、10、20、30、40min5个时间梯度,研究了预冷时间对精子冷冻保存效果的影响。结果显示预冷时间的长短对精子冷冻保存效果的影响显著,当预冷时间低于20min时,精子大量死亡,且精子DNA严重损伤;当预玲时间超过30min时,精子存活率明显提高,精子DNA损伤明显减弱。     

猪精液冷冻损伤机理研究进展

阐明降温-升温过程精子损伤的原因是目前冷冻生物学的研究热点之一。借助分子生物学手段,猪精子冷冻损伤研究已深入到分子水平,对在冷冻过程中的损伤机理研究方面取得很大突破。在参考国内外文献的基础上,综述了猪精液冷冻损伤机理在近几年来的研究进展。     

黄鳝精液-80℃超低温冷冻保存试验

采用-80℃超低温冷冻方法对黄鳝精液冷冻保存技术进行了研究.获得如下结果:黄鳝精子在冻存前不需低温平衡过程;10%DMSO作为抗冻保护剂效果最好,以200 μL离心管为冻存容器,保存168 h,精子相对活力可达79%;以细管为冻存容器,精子相对活力可达88%.此结果为黄鳝精子冷冻保存库的建立提供了实验依据.     

猪卵母细胞玻璃化冷冻的研究进展

配子冷冻保存技术在动物繁殖育种中具有重要的意义,但猪卵母细胞的冷冻保存目前还很困难,主要表现为冻后继续发育能力低。这与影响卵母细胞玻璃化冷冻效果因素众多有关,如脂滴的存在使猪卵母细胞对冷冻非常敏感。冷冻保护剂的使用同时也产生了毒性作用。针对猪卵母细胞冷冻保存的特点,研究人员已研究出了一些新的方法来提高冷冻效果,如细胞骨架稳定剂的使用减少了冷冻对猪卵母细胞造成的损伤,通过改进冷冻载体提高了冷冻速率,从而提高了冷冻效果。     

牛精子蛋白质组学技术平台的建立及冻融前后精子差异蛋白初步分析

本研究通过探索不同的精子蛋白制备方法、水化液成分和优化2D电泳程序以建立牛精子蛋白质组学研究技术平台,同时以牛鲜冻精为实验材料通过差异凝胶电泳寻找冻融前后精子蛋白的改变。结果表明：使用改进的热TRIzol法裂解精子细胞制备蛋白,结合优化的2D电泳技术可建立稳定的牛精子蛋白质组学研究技术平台。差异凝胶电泳揭示牛精子在冻融后有质和量的改变：冻融后缺失的蛋白点有20个,表达下调的有2个,表达上调的有10个。作为一项阶段性的实验成果,本研究建立的2D平台和所发现的冻融引起的差异表达蛋白质点为揭示冷冻损伤机理和性控精液的差异蛋白质组学研究奠定了较好的基础。     

哺乳动物精子冷冻的抗氧化研究进展

人工授精是迄今为止应用最广泛并最有成效的辅助生殖技术,而高品质的精液是提高人工授精受胎率的关键。近年来在家畜精液冷冻保存技术中应用抗氧化剂的研究受到广泛关注,通过添加抗氧化剂降低了精子在冷冻保存过程中所遭受的氧化损伤,提高了冷冻精液质量和母畜的受胎率。可添加的抗氧化剂种类很多,通常有维生素类和酶类抗氧化剂等。针对目前抗氧化剂在大熊猫精液上应用研究甚少的现状,该文对哺乳动物精子的氧化损伤机制和常用的抗氧化剂进行综述,期望对大熊猫的相关研究提供理论依据和参考。     

Decrease in glutathione content in boar sperm after cryopreservation. Effect of the addition of reduced glutathione to the freezing and thawing extenders

Although glutathione content in boar spermatozoa has been previously reported, the effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) on semen parameters and the fertilizing ability of boar spermatozoa after cryopreservation has never been evaluated. In this study, GSH content was determined in ejaculated boar spermatozoa before and after cryopreservation. Semen samples were centrifuged and GSH content in the resulting pellet monitored spectrophotometrically. The fertilizing ability of frozen-thawed boar sperm was also tested in vitro by incubating sperm with in vitro matured oocytes obtained from gilts. GSH content in fresh semen was 3.84 +/- 0.21 nM GSH/10(8) sperm. Following semen cryopreservation, there was a 32% decrease in GSH content (P < 0.0001). There were significant differences in sperm GSH content between different boars and after various preservation protocols (P = 0.0102 ). The effect of addition of GSH to the freezing and thawing extenders was also evaluated. Addition of 5 mM GSH to the freezing extender did not have a significant effect on standard semen parameters or sperm fertilizing ability after thawing. In contrast, when GSH was added to the thawing extender, a dose-dependent tendency to increase in sperm fertilizing ability was observed, although no differences were observed in standard semen parameters. In summary, (i) there was a loss in GSH content after cryopreservation of boar semen; (ii) addition of GSH to the freezing extender did not result in any improvement in either standard semen parameters or sperm fertilizing ability; and (iii) addition of GSH to the thawing extender resulted in a significant increase in sperm fertilizing ability. Nevertheless, future studies must conclude if this is the case for all boars. Furthermore, since addition of GSH to the thawing extender did not result in an improvement in standard semen parameters, this suggests that during the thawing process, GSH prevents damage of a sperm property that is critical in the fertilization process but that is not measured in the routine semen analysis.     

Cryopreservation of Boar Semen

The present review summarizes information concerning the methods available to cryopreserve boar semen, covering the historical background, cryobiology and cryoprotecting considerations, technological developments and recent advances in cryopreservation methodologies. Successful methods for cryopreservation of boar semen have not been achieved despite numerous efforts world wide. Improvements in semen preservation technologies have been deterred by lack of in vitro methods that can accurately predict in vivo fertilizing capacity of frozen boar semen. The cell membrane is of crucial importance with regard to freeze-thaw survival of spermatozoa. It is important to optimize the survival of the plasma membrane as this is a non homogenous entity both in structure and function. The boar sperm membrane exhibits extreme sensitivity to freezing treatment. Freezing and thawing results in considerable changes in electrolyte dynamics and damages have mainly been associated with alterations in the head membranes especially at thawing. To date fruitless efforts have been carried out to find a cryoprotectant for the spermatozoa membranes and glycerol still continues to be used despite its harmful effects to the membranes.     

Implications of the pH and temperature of diluted, cooled boar semen on fresh and frozen-thawed sperm motility characteristics

Boar semen is typically collected, diluted and cooled for AI use over numerous days, or frozen immediately after shipping to capable laboratories. The storage temperature and pH of the diluted, cooled boar semen could influence the fertility of boar sperm. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of pH and storage temperature on fresh and frozen-thawed boar sperm motility end points. Semen samples (n = 199) were collected, diluted, cooled and shipped overnight to the National Animal Germplasm Program laboratory for freezing and analysis from four boar stud facilities. The temperature, pH and motility characteristics, determined using computer automated semen analysis, were measured at arrival. Samples were then cryopreserved and post-thaw motility determined. The commercial stud was a significant source of variation for mean semen temperature and pH, as well as total and progressive motility, and numerous other sperm motility characteristics. Based on multiple regression analysis, pH was not a significant source of variation for fresh or frozen-thawed boar sperm motility end points. However, significant models were derived which demonstrated that storage temperature, boar, and the commercial stud influenced sperm motility end points and the potential success for surviving cryopreservation. We inferred that maintaining cooled boar semen at approximately 16 °C during storage will result in higher fresh and frozen-thawed boar sperm quality, which should result in greater fertility.     

New aspects of boar semen freezing strategies

Although cryopreserved boar semen has been available since 1975, a major breakthrough in commercial application has not yet occurred. There is ongoing research to improve sperm survival after thawing, to limit the damage occurring to spermatozoa during freezing, and to further minimize the number of spermatozoa needed to establish a pregnancy. Boar spermatozoa are exposed to lipid peroxidation during freezing and thawing, which causes damage to the sperm membranes and impairs energy metabolism. The addition of antioxidants or chelating agents (e.g. catalase, vitamin E, glutathione, butylated hydroxytoluene or superoxide dismutase) to the still standard egg-yolk based cooling and freezing media for boar semen, effectively prevented this damage. In general, final glycerol concentrations of 2-3% in the freezing media, cooling rates of -30 to -50 degrees C/min, and thawing rates of 1200-1800 degrees C/min resulted in the best sperm survival. However, cooling and thawing rates individually optimized for sub-standard freezing boars have substantially improved their sperm quality after cryopreservation. With deep intrauterine insemination, the sperm dose has been decreased from 6 to 1x10(9) spermatozoa without compromising farrowing rate or litter size. Minimizing insemination-to-ovulation intervals, based either on estimated or determined ovulation, have also improved the fertility after AI with cryopreserved boar semen. With this combination of different approaches, acceptable fertility with cryopreserved boar semen can be achieved, facilitating the use of cryopreserved boar semen in routine AI programs.     

Hydrostatic pressure pre-treatment affects the protein profile of boar sperm before and after freezing-thawing

A sublethal environmental stress, high-hydrostatic pressure (HHP) was reported to significantly improve the motility, viability and fertility parameters of frozen bull and boar semen. However, the mechanism of how HHP treatment improves survival rates at sperm cryopreservation remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of HHP treatment of fresh boar semen on the protein profile of boar sperm before and after freezing. Fresh, extended semen of eight boars was split, one part was treated with 200, 300 or 400bar for 90min using a custom made pressuring device before the start of the semen freezing procedure, and the other part was prepared without HHP treatment. After thawing, samples were checked for motility. The effect of HHP treatment on the post-thaw motility of frozen semen was significant (P=0.02). Post-thaw motility of each treatment groups increased compared to control (46% vs. 52%, 56% and 56%; control vs. 200bar, 300bar and 400bar treatments). Samples for protein analysis were collected from the 300bar treatment group before HHP treatment at room temperature (25+/-3 degrees C), at 5 degrees C of the cooling process and after thawing with or without HHP treatment. The sperm were lysed using a urea-pyranoside-dithiothreitol buffer to extract their proteins for protein analysis. Approximately 800microg total proteins were assayed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and stained with colloidal Coomassie blue. The levels of 125 protein spots were quantified. The results revealed that the levels of 7 protein spots differed significantly among treatments. The identities of various protein constituents were identified by mass spectrometry and database searching. Ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex core protein 1, perilipin, and carbohydrate-binding protein AWN precursor were identified as HHP response proteins being significantly higher in HHP-treated samples. Testis-specific glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, outer dense fiber of sperm tails 2 isoform 10, cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase 1B, and quinone oxidoreductase represented the cooling and freezing related proteins. The differing levels of these identified proteins could be valuable for further exploring the protective mechanism of the HHP treatment in frozen-thawed porcine sperm.     

Substantial decrease of heat-shock protein 90 precedes the decline of sperm motility during cooling of boar spermatozoa

The decline in boar semen quality after cryopreservation may be attributed to changes in intracellular proteins. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the change of protein profiles in boar spermatozoa during the process of cooling and after cryopreservation. A total of 9 sexually mature boars (mean age = 25.5+/-12.3 mo) was used. Samples for protein analysis were collected before chilling, after cooling to 15 degrees C, after cooling to 5 degrees C, following thawing after freezing to -100 degrees C, and following thawing after 1 wk of cryopreservation at -196 degrees C. Semen characteristics evaluated included progressive motility and the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa. Total proteins from 5x10(6) spermatozoa were separated and analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The results revealed that there was a substantial decrease of a 90 kDa protein in the frozen-thawed spermatozoa. Western blot analysis demonstrated that this protein was 90 kDa heat-shock protein (HSP90). Time course study showed that the decrease of HSP90 in spermatozoa initially occurred in the first hour during cooling to 5 degrees C. When compared with the fresh spermatozoa before chilling, there was a 64% decrease of HSP90 in spermatozoa after cooling to 5 degrees C. However, the motility and percentage of normal spermatozoa did not significantly decrease during this period of treatment. Both declined substantially as the semen was thawed after freezing from -100 degrees C. The results indicated that the decrease of HSP90 precedes the decline of semen characteristics. The length of time between a decrease of HSP90 and the decline in sperm motility was estimated to be 2 to 3 h. Taken together, the above results suggested that a substantial decrease of HSP90 might be associated with a decline in sperm motility during cooling of boar spermatozoa.     

Membrane status of boar spermatozoa after cooling or cryopreservation

This study tested the hypothesis that sperm membrane changes during cooling contribute substantially to the membrane damage observed after cryopreservation of boar spermatozoa. Flow cytometry was used to assess viability (percentages of live and dead cells) of boar sperm cells after staining with SYBR-14 and propidium iodide (PI) and acrosome status after staining with FITC-pisum sativum agglutenin and PI. Incubation (38 degrees C, 4 h), cooling (to 15 or 5 degrees C) and freezing reduced the proportion of live spermatozoa compared with those in fresh semen. There were more membrane changes in spermatozoa cooled to 5 degrees C than to 15 degrees C. The proportion of live spermatozoa decreased during processing for cryopreservation and cooling to 5 degrees C, but was unaffected by freezing and thawing if held at 15 degrees C for 3.5 h during cooling. Spermatozoa not held during cooling exhibited further loss of viability after freezing and thawing. Holding the spermatozoa also increased the proportion of acrosome-intact spermatozoa at both 15 degrees C and 5 degrees C and at thawing compared with that of the unheld controls. The results of this study suggest that a substantial proportion of the membrane changes associated with cryopreservation of boar spermatozoa may be attributed to the cooling of the cells to 5 degrees C rather than to the freezing and thawing process, and that sperm membrane changes are reduced when semen is held at 15 degrees C during cooling.     

Dialysis of boar semen prior to freezing-thawing: its effects on post-thaw sperm characteristics

Low-molecular weight components of the seminal plasma have a detrimental effect on sperm function. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of the removal of low-molecular weight components by dialysis on sperm characteristics prior to and after freezing. Semen, collected from 5 boars, was extended in Kortowo-3 extender (K-3, Poland) and cooled for 3h (control non-dialysis) or dialyzed for 5h in semi-permeable dialysis bags of 12-14kDa molecular weight cut-off prior to freezing. The semen samples were diluted in lactose-hen egg yolk-glycerol extender (lactose-HEY-G) or lactose-lyophilized lipoprotein fractions-glycerol extender (lactose-LPFo-G), packaged into aluminum tubes and frozen in a controlled programmable freezer. Pre-frozen and frozen-thawed spermatozoa were evaluated for motility, plasma membrane (SYBR-14 and propidium iodide) and acrosome integrity, mitochondrial function (Rhodamine 123) and ATP content. The results of the study showed that dialysis significantly improved the sperm characteristics prior to freezing. Dialysis enhanced (P<0.05) post-thaw sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial function, but had no significant effect (P>0.05) on recovery of spermatozoa with intact acrosomes. Furthermore, dialyzed spermatozoa exhibited higher (P<0.05) ATP content compared with the control after freezing-thawing. Consistent inter-boar variability was detected mainly in dialyzed semen following freezing-thawing. These results indicated that the improvement in sperm quality characteristics prior to freezing and the post-thaw sperm recovery were due to the removal of low-molecular weight components from the seminal plasma. It can be suggested that dialysis is effective in improving the post-thaw quality of boar spermatozoa and has also great practical importance in improving the protocols for cryopreservation of semen. Dialysis may also contribute to a better understanding of different mechanisms underlying cryo-induced damage to boar spermatozoa.     

Cryopreservation of boar semen and its future importance to the industry

Whereas AI has arguably been the most important management tool leading to improved herd productivity, long-term storage of semen brings forth additional advantages to producers of agriculturally important animals and the AI industry. Semen cryopreservation greatly facilitates the distribution of agriculturally desirable genes, rapidly increasing herd productivity. Of particular importance to the pig industry, the use of frozen semen would help to control transmission of certain pathogens, thereby protecting the health status of the herd. Moreover, a reserve of cryopreserved semen would minimize the effects of a sudden outbreak of a contagious illness or a natural disaster. Successful cryopreservation of boar semen is necessary for international sales. Finally, effective gene banking depends on the availability of functional, cryopreserved germplasm. Despite these potential advantages of long-term semen storage, porcine sperm are notoriously sensitive to cold temperatures, and frozen-thawed semen is not routinely used by the industry. The objective of our laboratories is to develop protocols for efficient long-term storage of porcine semen using cryopreservation. We hypothesize that since the sperm plasma membrane is the primary site of cold-induced damage, reinforcing the membranes with molecules having particular properties, such as cholesterol, will improve the ability of boar sperm to withstand cold temperatures and cryopreservation protocols. Based on our data, such approaches should help alleviate the problems with sperm function after cooling, thereby resulting in better survival and motility characteristics, and reduced non-regulated capacitation and spontaneous acrosome reactions.     

Changes in sperm membrane and ROS following cryopreservation of liquid boar semen stored at 15 °C

Boar semen is occasionally transferred to different locations in liquid form at 15 °C for cryopreservation. However, the use of frozen boar semen is limited due to the high susceptibility of boar sperm to cold shock. The aim of this study was to help improve the quality of frozen boar semen by determining the changes in sperm membrane and ROS during the cryopreservation processes of 15 °C-stored boar semen. Semen was collected from ten Duroc boars and transferred to our laboratory in liquid form stored at 15 °C. After cooling to 5 °C and freezing-thawing, conventional sperm parameters (total motility, progressive motility, and normal morphology), plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal membrane status, and intracellular ROS were evaluated. Sperm function, as assessed by conventional parameters, was unaffected by cooling but was decreased by freezing-thawing (P<0.05). However, the cooling and freezing-thawing processes led to damages in the sperm plasma membrane, and the cooling process caused increase in mean PNA (peanut agglutinin)-fluorescence intensity in viable acrosome-intact sperm (P<0.05). In ROS evaluation, the cooling process decreased intracellular (·)O(2) and H(2)O(2) in viable sperm (P<0.05), while the freezing-thawing process increased intracellular H(2)O(2) (P<0.05) without change in intracellular (·)O(2) in viable sperm. Our results suggest that, in liquid boar semen stored at 15 °C, cooling may be primarily responsible for the destabilization of sperm membranes in viable sperm, while freezing-thawing may induce reductions in sperm function with increase in membrane damage and H(2)O(2).