title: Flow cytometry for the assessment of animal sperm integrity and functionality: state of the art.
abstract: Flow cytometry is now a recognized methodology within animal spermatology, and has moved from being a research tool to become routine in the assessment of animal semen destined to breeding. The availability of 'bench-top' flow cytometers and of newer and versatile markers for cell structure and function had allowed the instrumentation to measure more sperm parameters, from viability to reactiveness when exposed to exogenous stimuli, and to increase our capabilities to sort spermatozoa for potential fertilizing capacity, or chromosomal sex. The present review summarizes the state of the art regarding flow cytometry applied to animal andrology, albeit keeping an open comparative intent. It critically evaluates the present and future capabilities of flow cytometry for the diagnostics of potential fertility and for the development of current reproductive technologies such as sperm freezing, sperm selection and sperm sorting. The flow cytometry methods will probably further revolutionize our understanding of the sperm physiology and their functionality, and will undoubtedly extend its application in isolating many uncharacterized features of spermatozoa. However, continuous follow-up of the methods is a necessity owing to technical developments and the complexity of mapping spermatozoa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Md Sharoare
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johannisson
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wallgren
authors.forename: Szabolcs
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: Amanda Pimenta
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.forename: Heriberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Martinez
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000379:methods; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods; D012743:Sex Preselection / Q000379:methods; D013075:Sperm Capacitation; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin