title: Cryopreservation of the semen collected by electroejaculation from the Hokkaido brown bear (Ursus arctos yesoensis).
abstract: Four adult Hokkaido brown bears were used as semen donors, and semen characteristics were examined before freezing and after thawing. A total of 10 electroejaculates were diluted with Tris-egg yolk extender and cooled to 4 degrees C over 90 min. Spermatozoa were equilibrated with 4.7% glycerol for 80 min. Semen packed in 0.25 ml plastic straws were frozen with liquid nitrogen vapor. Percentages (mean +/- SD) of motile and live sperm were 96+/-2 and 86.5+/-7.2% before freezing, and 43+/-5 and 67.4+/-3.9% after thawing, respectively. Although the number of progressively motile sperm after thawing varied among samples (1.8+/-1.2 x 10(8) cells/ejaculate), frozen semen in the present study might serve for artificial insemination.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Theriogenology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Motozumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsu
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katagiri
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D004542:Ejaculation; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D001503:Ursidae / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003451:Cryoprotective Agents