Assessment of sperm quality parameters of six bulls showing different abilities to promote embryo development in vitro
M. Alomar A B , J. Mahieu A , B. Verhaeghe A , L. Defoin A and I. Donnay A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Catholic University of Louvain, Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Unité des Sciences Vétérinaires, Place Croix du Sud 5 Box 10, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
B Division of Animal Production, Department of Agriculture, Atomic Energy Commission, P.B. Box 6091, Damascus, Syria.
C Corresponding author. Email: donnay@vete.ucl.ac.be
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 18(3) 395-402 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD05132
Submitted: 4 October 2005 Accepted: 7 December 2005 Published: 2 February 2006
Abstract
Experiments were conducted to investigate the possible origins of variation between six bulls showing various blastocyst rates after in vitro fertilisation. No significant difference was observed for the rates of cleavage and 5–8 cell stages, whereas blastocyst yields at Day 6, 7 and 8 post insemination were significantly different between bulls (P < 0.05). Fertilisation rates ranged from 59.5 to 79.3% (P < 0.05), with no difference in the incidence of polyspermy. The proportions of motile and progressive spermatozoa before and after Percoll separation were analysed. A positive effect of Percoll was noted on both parameters (P < 0.05), leading to the absence of difference between bulls after the separation process. Sperm viability and spontaneous acrosome reaction were assessed during 18 h incubation in fertilisation medium. A sharp decrease in sperm viability was observed for all bulls after 2 h incubation, with only 12.6–21.7% of spermatozoa still viable at 18 h. In contrast, the proportion of reacted acrosomes was low in five out of six bulls (<15% at 18 h). In conclusion, the fertilisation rate was the only parameter to show some correlation with blastocyst rate for all bulls.
Extra keywords: acrosome reaction, computer-aided sperm analysis, fertilisation.
References
Alomar, M. , Mahieu, J. , Verhaeghe, B. , and Donnay, I. (2005). Assessment of sperm motility, viability and fertilization rate of two groups of bulls showing a different ability to promote embryo development in vitro. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 17, 269.[Abstract]
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grant, S. A. , Long, S. E. , and Parkinson, T. J. (1994). Fertilizability and structural properties of boar spermatozoa prepared by Percoll gradient centrifugation. J. Reprod. Fertil. 100, 477–483.
| PubMed |
Grisart, B. , Massip, A. , and Dessy, F. (1994). Cinematographic analysis of bovine embryo development in serum-free oviduct-conditioned medium. J. Reprod. Fertil. 101, 257–264.
| PubMed |
Guitton, E. , Le Vern, Y. , Kerboeuf, D. , and Magistrini, M. (2001). Flow cytometric evaluation of acrosomal status in equine spermatozoa using FITC-Pisum sativum agglutinin. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 68, 360–361.
Harrison, R. A. , and Vickers, S. E. (1990). Use of fluorescent probes to assess membrane integrity in mammalian spermatozoa. J. Reprod. Fertil. 88, 343–352.
| PubMed |
Ho, H. C. , and Suarez, S. S. (2001). Hyperactivation of mammalian spermatozoa: function and regulation. Reproduction 122, 519–552.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Holm, P. , Booth, P. J. , Schmidt, M. H. , Greve, T. , and Callesen, H. (1999). High bovine blastocyst development in a static in vitro production system using SOFaa medium supplemented with sodium citrate and myo-inositol with or without serum proteins. Theriogenology 52, 683–700.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Johnson, L. A. , Welch, G. R. , and Garner, D. L. (1994). Improved flow sorting resolution of X- and Y chromosome bearing viable sperm separation using dual staining and dead cell sorting. Cytometry 83, 476.[Abstract]
Kreysing, U. , Nagai, T. , and Niemann, H. (1997). Male-dependent variability of fertilization and embryo development in two bovine in vitro fertilization systems and the effects of casein phosphopeptides (CPPs). Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 9, 465–474.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Kurtu, J. M. , Ambrose, J. D. , and Rajamahendran, R. (1996). Cleavage rate of bovine oocytes in vitro is affected by bulls but not sperm concentrations. Theriogenology 45, 257.[Abstract]
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Langlais, J. , and Roberts, K. D. (1985). A molecular membrane model of sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction of mammalian spermatozoa. Gamete Res. 12, 183–224.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lequarre, A. S. , Vigneron, C. , Ribaucour, F. , Holm, P. , Donnay, I. , Dalbiès-Tran, R. , Callesen, H. , and Mermillod, P. (2005). Influence of antral follicle size on oocyte characteristics and embryo development in the bovine. Theriogenology 63, 841–859.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Mendoza, C. , Carreras, A. , Moos, J. , and Tesarik, J. (1992). Distinction between true acrosome reaction and degenerative acrosome loss by a one-step staining method using Pisum sativum agglutinin. J. Reprod. Fertil. 95, 755–763.
| PubMed |
Moohan, J. M. , and Lindsay, K. S. (1995). Spermatozoa selected by a discontinuous Percoll density gradient exhibit better motion characteristics, more hyperactivation, and longer survival than direct swim-up. Fertil. Steril. 64, 160–165.
| PubMed |
Mortimer, S. T. (1997). A critical review of the physiological importance and analysis of sperm movement in mammals. Hum. Reprod. Update 3, 403–439.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Otoi, T. , Tachikawa, S. , Kondo, S. , and Suzuki, T. (1993). Effects of different lots of semen from the same bull on in vitro development of bovine oocytes fertilized in vitro. Theriogenology 39, 713–718.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Palma, G. A. , and Sinowatz, F. (2004). Male and female effects on the in vitro production of bovine embryos. Anat. Histol. Embryol. 33, 257–262.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Parrish, J. J. , Krogenaes, A. , and Susko-Parrish, J. L. (1995). Effect of bovine sperm separation by either swim-up or Percoll method on success of in vitro fertilization and early embryonic development. Therigenology 44, 859–869.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pertoft, H. (2000). Fraction of cells and subcellular particles with Percoll. J. Biochem. Biophys. Methods 44, 1–30.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Pousette, A. , Akerlof, E. , Rosenborg, L. , and Fredricsson, B. (1986). Increase in progressive motility and improved morphology of human spermatozoa following their migration through Percoll gradients. Int. J. Androl. 9, 1–13.
| PubMed |
Rodriguez-Martinez, H. (2003). Laboratory semen assessment and prediction of fertility: still utopia? Reprod. Domest. Anim. 38, 312–318.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Shi, D. S. , Lu, K. H. , Gordon, I. , and Polge, C. (1991). Variation in cleavage and embryonic development of bovine oocytes in vitro fertilized with different bull ejaculates. Theriogenology 35, 271.[Abstract]
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Singer, R. , Fish, B. , Levinsky, H. , Zukerman, Z. , Sagiv, M. , Cohen, A. , Barnet, M. , Lurie, B. B. , and Lahav, M. (1995). Separation of human semen on Percoll gradients: effect on percentage of motile and morphologically normal sperm and proportion of acrosome reacted sperm. Int. J. Fertil. Menopausal Stud. 40, 161–166.
| PubMed |
Suzuki, K. , and Nagai, T. (2003). In vitro fertility and motility characteristics of frozen thawed boar epididymal spermatozoa separated by Percoll. Theriogenology 60, 1481–1494.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Suzuki, K. , Geshi, M. , Yamauchi, N. , and Nagai, T. (2003). Functional changes and motility characteristics of Japanese Black bull spermatozoa separated by Percoll. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 77, 157–172.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Tanghe, S. , Van Soom, A. , Sterckx, V. , Maes, D. , and de Kruif, A. (2002). Assessment of different sperm quality parameters to predict in vitro fertility of bulls. Reprod. Domest. Anim. 37, 127–132.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Trowbridge, I. S. (1974). Isolation and chemical characterization of a mitogenic lectin from Pisum sativum. J. Biol. Chem. 249, 6004–6012.
| PubMed |
Verberckmoes, S. , Van Soom, A. , De Pauw, I. , Dewulf, J. , and De Kruif, A. (2002). Migration of bovine spermatozoa in a synthetic medium and its relation to in vivo bull fertility. Theriogenology 58, 1027–1037.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Verstegen, J. , Iguer-Ouada, M. , and Onclin, K. (2002). Computer assisted semen analyzers in andrology research and veterinary practice. Theriogenology 57, 149–179.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Virro, M. R. , Larson-Cook, K. L. , and Evenson, D. P. (2004). Sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) parameters are related to fertilization, blastocyst development, and ongoing pregnancy in in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles. Fertil. Steril. 81, 1289–1295.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Walters, A. H. , Saacke, R. G. , Pearson, R. E. , and Gwazdauskas, F. C. (2005). The incidence of apoptosis after IVF with morphologically abnormal bovine spermatozoa. Theriogenology 64, 1404–1421.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Ward, F. , Lonergan, P. , Rizos, D. , Corridan, D. , and Boland, M. P. (2001a). Bull effects on kinetics of fertilization in vitro and the implications for subsequent embryo development. Theriogenology 55, 375.[Abstract]
Ward, F. , Rizos, D. , Corridan, D. , Quinn, K. , Boland, M. , and Lonergan, P. (2001b). Paternal influence on the time of first embryonic cleavage post insemination and the implications for the subsequent bovine embryo development in vitro and fertility in vivo. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 60, 47–55.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
