title: Cryopreservation of European catfish Silurus glanis sperm: sperm motility, viability, and hatching success of embryos.
abstract: The aim of this study was to elaborate cryopreservation methods for ex situ conservation of European catfish. The success of sperm cryopreservation was evaluated by post-thaw sperm motility and velocity, percentage of live spermatozoa and fertility (hatching rates) using frozen/thawed sperm. The best hatching rates of 82-86% were obtained with sperm stored for 5 h before freezing in immobilizing solution and frozen with Me2SO in concentrations of 8, 10, and 12%, or with a mixture of 5% Me2SO and 5% propandiole. These results did not significantly differ from the fresh sperm control sample. The percentage of live spermatozoa in frozen/thawed sperm did not correlate with hatching rate or motility of spermatozoa, but was negatively correlated with velocity of spermatozoa (r=-0.47, P=0.05). The percentage motility in frozen/thawed sperm ranged from 8 to 62%, when sperm was stored in immobilizing solution 5h before freezing. The average value in the fresh sperm (control) was 96%. The frozen/thawed sperm motility rate significantly correlated with the hatching rate (r=0.76, P=0.0002), but not with the percentage of live spermatozoa (r=0.16, P=0.52) or the sperm velocity (r=0.07, P=0.79). The velocity of frozen/thawed spermatozoa ranged from 37 to 85 microm/s, whereby methanol concentrations of 7.5 and 10% resulted in highest velocities. Freezing sperm volumes of 1-4 ml did not affect the quality of frozen/thawed sperm.
authors.affiliation: University of South Bohemia, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, 38925 Vodnany, Czech Republic. linhart@vurh.jcu.cz
authors.forename: Otomar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Linhart
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodina
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flajshans
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gela
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kocour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002397:Catfishes / Q000196:embryology; D002470:Cell Survival; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D018153:Czech Republic; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003451:Cryoprotective Agents