Method of euthanasia does not affect sperm motility in the laboratory rat.
To determine if anesthetic agents used in laboratory animal euthanasia affected sperm motion parameters, rats (n = 10 per group) were euthanized by one of 5 different methods: decapitation alone, or decapitation following either ether, halothane, or Nembutal anesthesia, or CO2 asphyxiation. Sperm were collected from the distal cauda epididymis, diluted, and videotaped for computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA; HTM-2030, Hamilton-Thorn Research, Beverly, MA). The percentage of motile sperm (MOT), their straight-line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), curvilinear velocity (VCL), linear index (LINX), and linearity (LIN) were measured on > or = 200 motile sperm per sample. No significant differences in any of these 6 motion parameters were found among the treatment groups. Thus, none of these 5 methods of euthanasia affect sperm motion as assessed by CASA methods, making them equally suitable for use in reproductive toxicology studies.
Slott
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ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
Linder
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Dyer
C J
CJ
D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology; D005065:Euthanasia; D006221:Halothane; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D010424:Pentobarbital; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010424:Pentobarbital; D006221:Halothane