title: Sperm characterization and identification of sperm sub-populations in ejaculates from pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus).
abstract: Pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) is a native endangered species. Knowledge of the basic spermiogram characteristics and the morphometric descriptors is necessary to effectively develop sperm cryopreservation. In other species, sperm sub-population is related to sperm cryo-resistance. The objective was to provide a general description of the sperm, including sperm head morphometric descriptors, its repeatability, and the existence of sperm sub-populations. Sperm were obtained from adult males by electroejaculation during the breeding season. The motility score was 3.4 ± 0.2 (mean ± SEM) and progressive motility was 59.4 ± 3.7%. Ejaculated volume was 413.9 ± 51.0 μl, the total number of sperm ejaculated was 321.2 ± 55.4 × 10(6). Also, 63.3 ± 3.1% of the sperm were morphologically abnormal and 23.7 ± 2.3% had acrosome damage. The sperm head length was 7.6 ± 0.01 μm, width 4.4 ± 0.01 μm, area 28.1 ± 0.07 μm(2) and the perimeter was 21.9 ± 0.04 μm. There was a positive relationship among morphometric descriptors and the motility score, overall motility and progressive motility. Also length (P=0.011), width (P=0.003), area (P=0.006) and perimeter (P=0.009) of sperm head obtained in two different collections were positively related. Overall, the low concentration, volume, overall quality and abnormal morphology, and wide variation of these variables may be a limitation for the development of sperm cryopreserved banks. There were three sperm sub-populations with different morphometric characteristics. The morphometric descriptors are maintained similarly among different collections.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. Electronic address: floberacochea@gmail.com.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beracochea
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproducción, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: Jardín Zoológico de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires - Fundación Bioandina Argentina, Argentina.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sestelo
authors.affiliation: SaBio IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Campus Universitario sn, Albacete, Spain.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Garde
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproducción Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santiago-Moreno
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ungerfeld
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003670:Deer / Q000502:physiology*; D004542:Ejaculation / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cervidae; Electroejaculation; Endangered species; Sperm sub-population