Sperm cryopreservation of silver barb (Barbodes gonionotus): cryoprotectants,cooling rate and storage time on sperm quality

Effectiveness and efficiency of frozen sperm on fertilization and hatching success of eggs from silver barb was examined in relation to cryoprotectants, freezing rate and storage period. Sperm was diluted in calcium‐free Hank's balanced salt solution, equilibrated with dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), propylene glycol, sucrose or methanol at 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% final concentrations, and frozen in 250‐μL straws using a one‐step freezing procedure (1, 5 and 8°C min^?1 from 25 to ?40°C). Highest post‐thaw sperm motility was found from a treatment using 10% DMSO and 5°C min^?1 (82.2 ± 2.1%), similar to that of 10% DMSO and 8°C min^?1 (87.8 ± 3.2%). Post‐thaw motility of sperm frozen at 5 or 8°C min^?1 was significantly higher than 1°C min^?1. Relative sperm motility declined significantly after 10 months of cryostorage while viability did not change during a 12‐month cryostorage. Average fertilization rates of sperm after 1 and 4 months of storage were 64.5 ± 4.6% and 61.3 ± 3.4%, respectively, similar to those of fresh sperm (69.6–72.3%). Hatching rates of cryopreserved sperm (45.4–51.2%) were similar to those of fresh sperm (51.8–57.8%). This study developed suitable methods for cryopreservation of silver barb sperm that can be used to facilitate hatchery operation.     

Cryopreservation of Mekong catfish,Pangasius bocourti Sauvage, 1880 spermatozoa

The effects of three extenders (Ginzburg fish ringer, Calcium‐free Hank's balanced salt solution, C‐F HBSS and sodium chloride, 0.9% NaCl) and four cryoprotectants (dimethyl sulphoxide, DMSO; dimethyl acetamide, DMA; methanol, MeOH and glycerol) in different concentrations (5%, 10% and 15%) on the motility, viability and fertilization rates of Mekong catfish (Pagasius bocourti) sperm were investigated. Sperm samples were transferred into 250‐μL French straws and sealed with a heated haemostat. The straws were then placed in a cryochamber. A computer‐controlled rate freezer (CL 3300) and programmable Cryogenesis, version 4 were used to regulate the freezing rate. The sperm samples were frozen at a rate of 10°C min^?1 from 4 to ?80°C and then evaluated after 72 h. Of the three extenders used with each cryoprotectant, C‐F HBSS had the highest fertilization rate of 75% (93% of control). This was not significantly different from the control treatment (fresh sperm) when tested with DMSO as the cryoprotectant. The lowest fertilization rate of 27% (38% of control) was resulting from the combination of 15% glycerol and C‐F HBSS. This study found that fertilization, motility and viability rates in all of the experiments had a positive significant correlation (P < 0.001).     

液氮保藏菌种对平菇菌丝体和子实体的影响

以皖平菇1号为试验材料,对菌种液氮保藏过程中的降温方式、保护剂、解冻3个关键环节设计三因素三水平正交试验.结果表明,正交试验9个不同的处理中对菌种萌发率影响最小的条件处理组合为不加保护剂直接放入液氮,38 ～40℃水浴解冻;对菌丝生长速度影响最小的处理组合为-70℃-液氮逐步降温,10％的二甲基亚砜作保护剂,38 ～ 40℃水浴解冻;对子实体平均产量影响最小的处理组合为4℃--20℃--70℃分别放置2h的逐步降温法,10％的蔗糖水溶液作保护剂,38 ～ 40℃水浴解冻.保护剂和解冻方式的选择对菌种影响较大,结合成本等其他因素综合考虑,不加保护剂直接将菌种放入液氮,38 ～ 40℃水浴快速解冻的处理方式为最佳选择.     

The effect of some cryoprotectants on dromedary camel frozen‐thawed semen

The cryopreserved camel semen is often associated with poor quality and fertility. This study aimed to improve the dromedary frozen semen quality by comparing the efficiency of four cryoprotectant agents (CPAs) on sperm freezability. Semen samples were collected from seven male Maghrabi camels, diluted with Shotor diluent supplemented with glycerol (Sh‐G), dimethyl formamide (DMF, Sh‐DF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, Sh‐DS) or ethylene glycol (EG, Sh‐EG), all at 6% final concentration, and the samples were subjected to cryopreservation. The results revealed the superiority of Sh‐DF over Sh‐G and Sh‐DS in terms of post‐thaw motility (55.83 ± 2.20 vs. 47.50 ± 4.33 and 45.00 ± 2.89%, respectively), sperm membrane (49.00 ± 0.58, 39.33 ± 3.33 and 42.67 ± 1.45%, respectively) and acrosomal integrities (53.00 ± 0.58, 57.33 ± 0.88 and 52.33 ± 1.45%, respectively). Sh‐EG group showed the lowest post‐thaw motility, plasma membrane and acrosome integrities (12.50 ± 1.44, 22.67 ± 1.45 and 30.67 ± 1.45, respectively). In conclusion, the protocols of dromedary camel semen cryopreservation could be enhanced using 6% DMF as a cryoprotectant agent.     

Effect of different penetrating and non‐penetrating cryoprotectants and media temperature on the cryosurvival of vitrified in vitro produced porcine blastocysts

The aim of this study was to determine the most efficient vitrification protocol for the cryopreservation of day 7 in vitro produced (IVP) porcine blastocysts. The post‐warm survival rate of blastocysts vitrified in control (17% dimethyl sulfoxide + 17% ethylene glycol [EG] + 0.4 mol/L sucrose) and commercial media did not differ, nor did the post‐warm survival rate of blastocysts vitrified in medium containing 1,2‐propandiol in place of EG. However, vitrifying embryos in EG alone decreased the cryosurvival rate (55.6% and 33.6%, respectively, p < .05). Furthermore, the post‐warm survival rates of blastocysts vitrified with either trehalose or sucrose as the non‐penetrating cryoprotectant did not differ. There was also no significant difference in post‐warm survival of blastocysts vitrified in control (38°C) media and room temperature (22°C) media with extended equilibration times, although when blastocysts were vitrified using control media at room temperature, the post‐warm survival rate increased (56.8%, 57.3%, 72.5%, respectively, p < .05). The findings show that most cryoprotectant combinations examined proved equally effective at supporting the post‐warm survival of IVP porcine blastocysts. The improved post‐warm survival rate of blastocysts vitrified using media held at room temperature suggests that the cryoprotectant toxicity exerted in 22°C media was reduced.     

渗透性冷冻保护剂对山羊精子的冷冻保护效果

【目的】探索渗透性冷冻保护剂甘油、乙二醇、二甲基亚砜(DMSO)、二甲基乙酰胺(DMA)对山羊精子的冷冻保护效果。【方法】采用假阴道法采集繁殖性能正常、健康、年龄2~4岁的6只西农萨能奶山羊种公羊精液,以Tris-卵黄为基础稀释液,分别添加体积分数为6%的甘油、3%和6%的乙二醇、3%和6%的DMSO、3%和6%的DMA,测定冷冻-解冻后精子活率、顶体完整性、质膜完整率、线粒体完整性、谷胱甘肽还原酶活性和丙二醛(MDA)浓度,对比不同冷冻保护剂对山羊精子的冷冻保护效果。【结果】甘油(6%)和乙二醇(3%,6%)组解冻后精子活率均极显著(P0.01)高于DMSO(3%,6%)和DMA(3%,6%)处理组;甘油(6%)、DMA(6%)和乙二醇(3%)组的线粒体完整性极显著(P0.01)高于其他组;甘油(6%)和乙二醇(3%,6%)组的质膜完整率极显著(P0.01)高于其他组;从顶体完整性、谷胱甘肽还原酶活性和MDA浓度等指标看,甘油(6%)和乙二醇(3%,6%)组极显著(P0.01)优于其他组。【结论】稀释液中添加乙二醇(3%,6%)和甘油(6%)都能明显提高山羊冷冻精子品质,其中3%乙二醇可以替代甘油作为山羊精液冷冻保护剂从而发挥更好的抗冷冻保护作用。     

Membrane stability and mitochondrial activity of bovine sperm frozen with low-density lipoproteins and trehalose

Cryopreservation results in the destabilization of the sperm plasma membrane, leading to negative side effects such as premature cryocapacitation, apoptosis and the low mitochondrial activity of bovine spermatozoa. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and trehalose have been used in seminal freezing to protect the integrity and stability of sperm membranes. Likewise, trehalose can increase the mitochondrial activity of sperm. The objective of this study was to evaluate the membrane stability and mitochondrial activity of bovine sperm after being frozen and treated with LDL sources and trehalose. Ten ejaculates from five bulls were cryopreserved under the treatments, CEY: chicken egg yolk (20% v/v); CCEY: centrifuged CEY (20% v/v); LDL: LDL (8% v/v); T: trehalose (100 mM); and TLDL: T (100 mM) plus LDL (8% v/v). After thawing, membrane stability and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨM) were assessed by flow cytometry through the M-540/Yopro-1 and DiOC6/PI probes. The structural membrane integrity (SMI) was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy using SYBR14/PI dyes. A generalized linear model was adjusted, and the means were compared using the Tukey test. Centrifuged chicken egg yolk and LDL had a higher proportion of non-cryocapacitated non-apoptotic sperm (M−Y−), while CEY and T had the largest populations of cryocapacitated non-apoptotic sperm (M+Y−) and cryocapacitated apoptotic sperm (M+Y+). Centrifuged chicken egg yolk also showed a higher proportion of sperm with high-ΔΨM. Treatments that included egg yolk or purified LDL had a positive effect on SMI. Centrifuged chicken egg yolk has a superior cryoprotective effect on membrane stability and mitochondrial activity of bovine semen over the conventional use of CEY or the individual or simultaneous use of LDL and trehalose.     

Different effects of ionic and non-ionic compounds on the freeze denaturation of myofibrils and myosin subfragment-1

The effects of non-ionic (sorbitol, maltose, trehalose) and ionic compounds (Na-glutamate, Na-acetate, Na-sulfate, ammonium sulfate) on freeze denaturation of myosin subfragment-1 (S-1) and of myofibrils were compared. Sugars, Na-glutamate and Na-acetate well suppressed the freeze denaturation of myofibrils as well as S-1 in a concentration dependent manner. Although sulfate suppressed freeze denaturation of S-1 irregularly, it accelerated myofibril denaturation. It was concluded that sulfate salts were useless as cryoprotectant for myofibrils. Stabilization extent by F-actin in frozen storage was much less than that in heating.     

四种抗冻剂20℃时对小鼠生精上皮单细胞存活率的影响

将小鼠生精上皮单细胞置20℃含不同抗冻剂的冻存液中一定时间后，台盼蓝染色测定细胞存活率，以筛选冷冻保存小鼠生精上皮细胞的侯选抗冻剂及使用浓度。结果，20℃30min，10％浓度的二甲基亚砜（DMSO）、丙二醇（PG）及乙二醇（EG）对7日龄小鼠生精上皮单细胞存活率均无显著影响，而10％甘油（G）则使细胞存活率显著下降；20℃ 30min,10%浓度的DMSO、PG、EG及G对成年小鼠生精上皮单细胞存活率均无显著影响；20℃ 5min,25%浓度的DMSO、PG、EG及G均使7日龄及成年小鼠生精上皮单细胞存活率显著下降。实验结果表明，10％DMSO、PG及EG可作为7日龄小鼠生殖细胞慢速冷冻保存时的侯选抗冻剂，10％DMSO、PG、EG及G可作为成年小鼠生殖细胞慢速冷冻保存时的侯选抗冻剂；在高浓度抗冻剂超速冷冻保存小鼠生殖细胞时，平衡时间应短于5min，或在4℃进行。     

Evaluating the use of piezo manipulator,laser or their combination for blastocoel cavity puncture to improve cryopreservation outcomes of large equine embryos

The main difficulty of large equine embryo cryopreservation is the replacement of blastocoel fluid with cryoprotectant solution. The objective of this study was to improve the cryopreservation of large equine embryos with PMAP and/or LAP. Embryos were collected via the non-surgical transcervical procedure and divided into three groups based on their size (A ≤ 300 µm, 300 µm<B < 700 µm and C ≥ 700 µm). Six embryos 233–1360 µm in diameter were punctured via piezo manipulator and/or laser pulse before cryopreservation. All embryos were cryopreserved on a Cryotop®. Frozen-thawed embryos were cultured for 3h and transferred to the recipient mares. After one week, pregnancy was diagnosed by ultrasonography. Two of six embryos resulted in a positive pregnancy, the result of pregnancy in group A and B was positive, but in group C was negative, and further investigation is necessary for ≥700 µm embryos. The results showed laser-assisted puncture could be helpful to extract blastocoel fluid and replace it with cryoprotectant. This is the first positive pregnancy report in laser puncture-assisted frozen-thawed equine embryo (>300 µm). However, more research is required to find the best method for embryos ≥700 µm.