Membrane integrity evaluation in rabbit spermatozoa.
OBJECTIVE
The behaviour of head and tail sperm membrane subjected to different vitality tests was evaluated, searching for possible correlations with sperm motility.


METHODS
On fresh semen from seven rabbits we performed: the Eosin Exclusion Test (EET) and, with different incubation times (T(0), T(5), T(30)), a Hypoosmotic Swelling Test (HOS-test) and a combined Hypoosmotic and Eosin Test (HE-test). Kinetic parameters were determined by using the CASA system CELL-TRAK. Statistical analysis was performed by one way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficient.


RESULTS
The HOS-test revealed significant differences between percentages of curled spermatozoa at T(0) (67.86+/-4.28) versus T(5) (72.86+/-3.28) and versus T(30) (75.14+/-6.5). Among four types of spermatozoa obtained with the HE-test, percentage of Type 1 sperm (HOS+/Eosine) at T(0) (32.3%+/-6.65), was lower than motile sperm (66.86%+/-9.72) but positively correlated.


CONCLUSIONS
The HE-test is a rapid instrument for predicting sperm motility, selecting spermatozoa with a high degree of membrane resistance both in the tail and the head compartment.
Ducci
Michele
M
Dipartimento di Anatomia, Biochimica e Fisiologia Veterinaria, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy. mducci@vet.unipi.it
Gazzano
Angelo
A
Villani
Chiara
C
Cela
Vito
V
Artini
Paolo G
PG
Martelli
Franco
F
Genazzani
Andrea R
AR
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D048429:Cell Size; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS); D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005632:Fructose; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011817:Rabbits; D012996:Solutions; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D012996:Solutions; D005632:Fructose; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS)