title: Implementing an open-access CASA software for the assessment of stallion sperm motility: Relationship with other sperm quality parameters.
abstract: Setting an open-access computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) may benefit the evaluation of motility in mammalian sperm, especially when economic constraints do not allow the use of a commercial system. There have been successful attempts to develop such a device in Zebra fish sperm and the system has been used in very few studies on mammalian spermatozoa. Against this background, the present study aimed at developing an open-access CASA system for mammalian sperm using the horse as a model and based upon the Image J software previously established for Zebra fish sperm. Along with determining the sperm progressive motility and other kinetic parameters (such as amplitude of lateral head displacement), the "results" window was adjusted to simplify subsequent statistical analyses. The path window was enriched with colored sperm trajectories on the basis of the subpopulation they belong to and a number that allowed the sperm track to be associated to the sperm motility data shown in the "results" window. Data obtained from the novel plugin (named as CASA_bgm) were compared with those of the commercial CASA Hamilton-Thorn IVOS Vers.12, through Bland Altman's plots. While the percentage of total and progressive motile sperm, VCL, VAP, VSL, LIN and STR and ALH were in agreement with those obtained with the commercial system, BCF significantly differed between the two systems probably due to their settings. Interestingly, a positive and significant correlation between the percentages of total motile sperm evaluated through CASA_bgm and those showing high mitochondrial membrane potential evaluated by JC-1 staining was found. In conclusion, CASA_bgm ImageJ plugin could be useful and reliable for stallion sperm motility analysis and it is our aim to apply this system to other mammalian species.
authors.affiliation: DIMEVET, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, BO, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giaretta
authors.affiliation: Private researcher.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Munerato
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Department of Biology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, E-17071 Girona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yeste
authors.affiliation: DIMEVET, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, BO, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galeati
authors.affiliation: DIMEVET, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, BO, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spinaci
authors.affiliation: DIMEVET, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, BO, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tamanini
authors.affiliation: DIMEVET, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, BO, Italy; AUB INFA National Institute of Artificial Insemination, Via Gandolfi 16, 40057 Cadriano, BO, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.affiliation: DIMEVET, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, BO, Italy. Electronic address: diego.bucci3@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bucci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012984:Software; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: CASA; Sperm motility; Sperm quality; Stallion