title: Recovery and cryopreservation of epididymal sperm of plains bison (Bison bison bison) as a model for salvaging the genetics of wood bison (Bison bison athabascae).
abstract: The objective of this study was to optimize recovery and cryopreservation of epididymal sperm from plains bison, as a model for wood bison. In Phase 1, cauda epididymides were recovered from bison (n = 14) immediately after slaughter, minced and incubated in Sp-TALPH buffer for 3 h at 36 degrees C. The resulting sperm suspensions were cryopreserved in Triladyl, using a protocol for bovine semen. In Phase 2, epididymal sperm were cryopreserved in either Triladyl or Andromed. The mean (+/-SD) estimated number of sperm recovered was 468 +/- 207 x 10(6). There was an increase (p < 0.05) in the proportion of sperm with normal morphology between initial recovery and after extension (52.4 +/- 4.6 vs 69.7 +/- 2.4%), with a concurrent decrease (p < 0.05) in the proportion of sperm with distal droplets. Median values for progressively motile sperm in post-thaw samples (60%) were lower (p < 0.05) than that after extension or after chilling (70% for both). The mean percentages of viable sperm and of sperm with an intact acrosome were lower (p < 0.05) for frozen-thawed samples (38.7 +/- 2.8 and 85.2 +/- 1.1) compared with extended (66.2 +/- 2.2 and 92.4 +/- 0.9) or chilled (63.7 +/- 2.5 and 90.0 +/- 1.0) samples. Rates of cleavage, morulae and blastocyst production were not significantly different for chilled (70.9, 38.7 and 8.0%) vs post-thaw sperm (73.0, 46.0 and 6.3%). There was no significant difference between extenders for most sperm characteristics. In conclusion, we developed a functional protocol for the recovery and cryopreservation of epididymal sperm from plains bison, which may have implications for the genetic preservation of wood bison.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Aurini
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Whiteside
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Elkin
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Thundathil
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D016164:Bison; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D047108:Embryonic Development; D056727:Endangered Species; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008297:Male; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012996:Solutions; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions