Sperm characteristics and heterologous in vitro fertilisation capacity of Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) epididymal sperm, frozen in the presence of the enzymatic antioxidant catalase.
The aim of this work was to evaluate the protective effect of catalase (CAT) on frozen/thawed ibex epididymal sperm recovered post mortem, and to detect any harmful effect this might have on sperm fertilisation capacity. Epididymal spermatozoa were diluted using a Tris-citric acid-glucose medium (TCG) composed of 3.8% Tris (w/v), 2.2% citric acid (w/v), 0.6% glucose (w/v), 5% glycerol (v/v), and 6% egg yolk (v/v). Sperm masses from the right epididymis were diluted with TCG medium, while those from the left were diluted with TCG medium supplemented with 200IU/mL CAT. Heterologous in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was used to assess the fertilisation capacity of this sperm. The addition of CAT to the extender did not improve frozen/thawed sperm variables. Moreover, a reduced fertilisation capacity was detected: sperm diluted with TCG provided 25.5% 2PN zygotes, while just 13.2% was recorded for that diluted with TCG-CAT (P<0.01). The percentage of cleaved embryos at 48hpi was higher (P<0.01) with the TCG sperm than with the TCG-CAT sperm (16.7% vs. 7.6%). The use of 200IU/mL CAT as an additive cannot, therefore, be recommended for the preservation of ibex epididymal sperm. Other antioxidants should, however, be tested in both this and related wild mountain ungulates.
Fertility Center Cancún, Cancún, Mexico.
J
J
López-Saucedo
Departamento de Ciencia Animal y de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
M T
MT
Paramio
Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, 09340 Mexico City, Mexico.
R
R
Fierro
Departamento de Ciencia Animal y de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
D
D
Izquierdo
Departamento de Ciencia Animal y de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
M G
MG
Catalá
Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
M A
MA
Coloma
Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
A
A
Toledano-Díaz
Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
A
A
López-Sebastián
Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: moreno@inia.es.
J
J
Santiago-Moreno
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D006041:Goats / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D002374:Catalase
Catalase; Epididymal sperm; Frozen-thawed semen; Heterologous in vitro fertilisation; Ibex