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Effect of Chilling Temperature on the Long‐Term Survival of Rabbit Spermatozoa held Either in a Tris‐Based or a Jellified Extender
Author(s) -
Rosato MP,
Iaffaldano N
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
reproduction in domestic animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1439-0531
pISSN - 0936-6768
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2010.01667.x
Subject(s) - extender , semen , andrology , acrosome , semen extender , sperm , cryopreservation , semen collection , diluent , tris , sperm motility , motility , membrane integrity , biology , staining , artificial insemination , chemistry , biochemistry , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , embryo , organic chemistry , pregnancy , genetics , membrane , nuclear chemistry , polyurethane
Contents As the preservation of the fertilizing capacity of rabbit spermatozoa for several days after semen collection remains a major target for the artificial insemination programs of rabbit breeding, a study was conducted to compare the efficacy of 5 or 15°C as holding temperature in lengthening the preservability of rabbit semen quality during 192 h of storage both in a solid (Cunigel) and a liquid (Tris‐Citric acid‐Glucose; TCG) extender. Six pooled semen samples (two ejaculates/male; two–three males/pool) were taken and made four aliquots: two aliquots were tenfold diluted with the TCG extender, whereas the other two were tenfold diluted with the Cunigel extender. One aliquot per diluent was stored at 5°C and the second one at 15°C. Sperm motility (light microscope), viability (SyBr‐PI staining), plasma membrane functional integrity (Hypo‐osmotic swelling test) and acrosome integrity (PSA–FITC staining) were recorded at 0, 48, 120 and 192 h of storage. In liquid‐stored spermatozoa, mass motility and viability were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in samples stored at 5°C than at 15°C at all the storage times; at 5°C resulted also higher (p ≤ 0.05) the percentages of both forward motility at 48 h and sperm functional integrity at 120 and 192 h of storage, whereas chilling temperature did not affect acrosome integrity. With the Cunigel extender, all the semen qualitative parameters were significantly higher in sample stored at 5 than 15°C over storage time (p ≤ 0.05); only acrosome integrity at 192 h was not different according to the chilling temperatures. In conclusion, 5°C were better than 15°C for the long‐term storage of rabbit semen both in the TCG and Cunigel extender.