title: Morphological characterization of ejaculated cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) sperm.
abstract: The aim of this study was to give reference values for the frequency of morphological sperm abnormalities present in the semen from non-experimental cynomolgus monkeys as well as for the dimensions of sperm heads. Spermatozoa from the liquid portion of electroejaculates from 14 cynomolgus monkeys were air-dried as smears, fixed, and stained with Harris's Haematoxylin and subjected to visual analysis of morphology and computer-aided analysis of ten morphometric variables. The majority (83%) of sperm were morphologically normal. Tail defects were the most common (11%), and showed the highest variation between individuals, the values ranging between 4 and 23%. Head abnormalities consisted of large, tapering, and amorphous forms but were not frequent (0.4%), the values ranging between 0 and 1.3%. Midpiece imperfections were found in all the individuals; the mean percentage was 5%, and the range varied between 3 and 9%. Tail plus midpiece was the only multiple abnormality observed, with a mean value of 1.5% and a range between 0 and 8%. The majority of these double defects consisted of a coiled tail together with a coiled midpiece. Mean values for the morphometric parameters characterizing sperm heads were as follows: area 17.2 microm2, perimeter 15.2 microm, length 5.8 microm, width 4.0 microm, L/W ratio 1.5, gray-level 98, ellipticity 0.2, first shape factor 0.9, second shape factor 1.4, and third shape factor 1.1. Overall coefficients of variation for the majority of parameters were below 7%, showing the great homogeneity in the dimensions of cynomolgus sperm heads. Most useful parameters for sperm characterization, according to their low variability, were perimeter, length, width, L/W ratio, and shape factors. Differences in these parameters were, however, observed between monkeys.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gago
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pérez-Sánchez
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tablado
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D008252:Macaca fascicularis / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology*