• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 2000

Techniques for manipulation of spermatozoa and oocytes have been widely used for in vitro production(IVP) of Hanwoo. This study was conducted to examine the effects of theophylline and heparin on frozen-thawed Hanwoo sperm for enhancing the efficiency of IVP technique. Oocytes were inseminated with forzen bull semen treated with either theophylline or heparin for examining the effect of each substance on fertilization and subsequent development. More (P<0.05) oocytes formed pronucleus and develop to the morula and blastocyst stages after inseminated with sperm treated with heparin than after inseminated with sperm treated with theophylline. The pregnancy rate after embryo transfer was higher after heparin treatment than after theophylline treatment, but did not differ significantly. There was no significant difference of offspring delivery between two groups. In conculsion, theophylline and heparin can be used for enhancing the efficiency of IVP system for Hanwoo. Considering characteristics of these substance, theophylline may be useful in the artificial insemination system, which requires vigorous sperm motility. While, heparin supporting sperm viability in vitro can be effectively used for improving in vitro-fertilization system.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 1993

To maintain a good sperm motility is one of the key factors for the successful artificial insemination in retrograde ejaculation, and the sperm motility has been shown to be affected by various environmental factors, including change in pH and osmolarity. Herein we have analyzed the effect of change in pH and osmolarity in urine and normal saline on sperm motility by Sperm Quality Analyzer and Makler counting chamber. Semen, which sampled by masturbation from a 28 year old male and showed normal finding on semen analysis, was used for this study. The results were as follows: 1. When osmolarity was fixed to 300mOsm, pH did not show a definite effect on the sperm moility. However, the motility was generally a bit better in alkaline urine and saline than in acid, particularly than in pH 5.0. 2. When pH was fixed to 7.5, sperm motility was best in urine and saline of 300mOsm. Hyperosmolarity had more adverse.effect on the motility than hypoosmolarity. 3. The sperm motility was worse in the urine than in saline under the same pH and osmolarity. In conclusion, osmolarity has a definite effect on sperm motility, where as pH has relatively little effect. And certain components of urine other than pH and osmolarity might affect the sperm motility.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.381-386
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• 1997

A series of experiments were conducted to compare the effects of various diluents in cold storage on the marbled sole, Limanda yokohamae sperm. Various diluents of glucose, L. yokohamae serum, marine fish Ringer's solution, sodium citrate and Ca2+ free artificial seawater (ASM) (tris-HCI, pH 7.4) containing 3 mM ethylene glycol-bis (2-aminoethyl ether) tetraacetic acid (EGTA) were used to store the sperm at 4℃. The storage effect was evaluated using motility index and survival rate of sperm. Glucose and sodium citrate were found to be better diluents which maintained high motility and survival rate of sperm for a storage period of 10 days. Some morphological changes of spermatozoa were observed during the cold storage with diluents. In particular, a detachment of the nuclear enveloped and of the plasma membrane from the nucleus in spermatozoa was observed. Morphological normality of the stored spermatozoa diluted with 0.3 M glucose was better than that of the stored spermatozoa undiluted or diluted with Ca2+ free ASW containing 3 mM EGTA.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.187-195
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• 2000

The ejaculates from 67 HanWoo prove bull, bred in Livestock Improvement Main center of NLCF, were used to determine the correlation between the sperm motional characteristics and the pregnancy rate of artificial insemination(AI). The motional characteristics of sperm were analysed by Computer-assisted sperm analyser(CASA), thereafter inseminated equally 1,256 heads of cow regarding to parity, age, and live weight. There were no significant difference(p>0.05) in the pregnancy rate according to year from 1996 to 1998, but the LIN, ALH, STR, BCF, MAD and WOB of sperm in the year 1997, were highest pregnancy rate, were higher than those of sperm in the year 1998, were lowest pregnancy rate(p<0.05). The semen had no significant effect on pregnancy rate according to season(p>0.05). However spring, had a little higher pregnancy rate than that of autumn, were higher than autumn in VSL, VAP, LIN, ALH, BCF, MAD and WOB, but in DNM. The pregnancy rates of spring in the year 1996 and 1997 were higher than that of autumn in the year 1998(p<0.05). The spring in the year 1997, highest in pregnancy rate, were higher than the autumn in the year 1998 in VSL, VAP, LIN, STR, BCF, MAD and WOB, but in DNM(p<0.05). There were no the motion characteristic of sperm that was significant correlate with pregnancy rate of AI as the semen were analysed before artificial insemination and those, had some degree characteristics in motility, viability and abnormality, were used to AI. However there were a tendency that the higher the VSL, VAP, ALH, LIN, STR, BCF, MAD and WOB and the lower the DNM were, the higher the pregnancy rate of AI were.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.657-665
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• 2020

The objective of this study was to investigate whether supplementation of pentoxifylline (PTX; phosphodiesterase inhibitor) to thawed boar semen improves the post-thaw motility of sperm and affects the efficiency of artificial insemination (AI) and further development. To determine the concentration of PTX for AI, frozen-thawed semen was incubated with 0, 5, 10, and 20 mM PTX in an extender freezing medium, respectively, after thawing. Kinematic properties of sperm were examined with a computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) system. In addition, viability and mitochondrial activity were also tested by LIVE/DEAD and a MitoTracker kit. There were no significant differences in the kinetic parameters of thawed sperm between control and treatment groups, but overall assessment parameters such as motility and rapid progressive were higher in the 10 mM PTX group. In the viability and mitochondrial assay, there were no significant differences observed in the PTX treatment, compared to the control. For further analysis, artificial inseminations were performed using frozen semen and 10 mM PTX treated cryopreserved semen, respectively. There were no differences in pregnancy rates and fetus weights among the groups until 30 and 40 days, but litter size was reduced and relatively low-birth weight was observed in the PTX group. In summary, our findings suggest that enhancement of in vitro sperm quality or non-toxicity supplemented by PTX may have detrimental effects on fetus development.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2003

A series of experiments were conducted to compare the effects of various diluents in cold storage on the sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherimus sperm. Various diluents of glucose solutions, artificial sea water(ASW) and 50% ASW were used to store the sperm at 4$^{\circ}C$. The storage effect was evaluated using sperm activity index(SAI), survival rate of sperm and fertilization rate to egg. ASW and 1.2 M glucose were found to be better diluents which maintained high motility and survival rate of sperm f3r a storage period of 30 days. Optimal pH of diluent to store the sperm at 4$^{\circ}C$ is 7.0∼8.0. In order to keep high SAI and survival rate of sperm, addition of 400 ppm neomycin into the diluent revealed the best storage results.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.239-244
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• 2005

The effects of diluents composition on cold storage for olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) sperm were examined in terms of the swimming speed of sperm, the percentage of mobile sperm, and fertilization rates. The following results indicated that cold storage methods with fresh conditions could be employed in olive flounder milt preservation. The preserved sperm of olive flounder that was diluted I: 10 with artificial seminal plasma II (ASP II) and Stein's solution (SS) at $0^{\circ}C$ remained motile for 30 days. The most effective condition for cold storage was ASP II and SS at 0 $0^{\circ}C$ for the sperm, although there is no significant difference statistically. No difference in the fertilization rate was found between fresh sperm and the preserved ones with ASP I, II and SS at 10 days post-storage.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 1980

This experiment was to study semen properties of Charolais for the a, pp.ication ot artificial insemination. The result obtained were summarized as follows: 1. In the preservation of liquid semen for 6 days, the survival rates of Charolais semen averaged 57.14% in skim milk solution and 58.17% in tris buffer solution. There were not differences. 2. Recovery of semen after thawing was vigorous in the semen that was diluted and frozen in 48 hrs. 3. The real rates of survival sperm for Charolais averaged 83% after living sperm was diluted and stained for 6 days. 4. Methylene blue reduction test diluted semen was fresh when it was diluted within 48 hrs. 5. If the diluted semen was preserved below 5$^{\circ}C$ in Charolais, the pH decreased by 0.2 in a day. 6. Diluted semen was more resistant to the cold shock than fresh semen. 7. In resistance against hot shock, sperm was almost dead in 20 minutes in 46.5$^{\circ}C$ in diluted semen, while it was dead in 30 minutes in 42.5$^{\circ}C$ in diluted semen. 8. In examination of morphological changes of sperm acrosome for 6 days, normal sperm in skim milk solution and tris buffer solution was 80% and 76.97% respectively, swelling sperm 12.8% and 15.27%, deficient sperm 0.6% and 0.97% abnormal staining 3.07% and 5.25%, immature sperm 0.28%, and 0.23%, whereas other abnormal sperm was 1.28% and 1.42%.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1253-1270
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• 2021

Assessment of male fertility is based on the evaluation of sperm. Semen evaluation measures various sperm quality parameters as fertility indicators. However, semen evaluation has limitations, and it requires the advancement and application of strict quality control methods to interpret the results. This article reviews the recent advances in evaluating various sperm-specific quality characteristics and methodologies, with the help of different assays to assess sperm-fertility status. Sperm evaluation methods that include conventional microscopic methods, computer-assisted sperm analyzers (CASA), and flow cytometric analysis, provide precise information related to sperm morphology and function. Moreover, profiling fertility-related biomarkers in sperm or seminal plasma can be helpful in predicting fertility. Identification of different sperm proteins and diagnosis of DNA damage has positively contributed to the existing pool of knowledge about sperm physiology and molecular anomalies associated with different infertility issues in males. Advances in methods and sperm-specific evaluation has subsequently resulted in a better understanding of sperm biology that has improved the diagnosis and clinical management of male factor infertility. Accurate sperm evaluation is of paramount importance in the application of artificial insemination and assisted reproductive technology. However, no single test can precisely determine fertility; the selection of an appropriate test or a set of tests and parameters is required to accurately determine the fertility of specific animal species. Therefore, a need to further calibrate the CASA and advance the gene expression tests is recommended for faster and field-level applications.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.33-44
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• 2015

The generation of artificial gametes is a real challenge for the scientific community today. In vitro development of human eggs and sperm will pave the way for the understanding of the complex process of human gametogenesis and will provide with human gametes for the study of infertility and the onset of some inherited disorders. However, the great promise of artificial gametes resides in their future application on reproductive treatments for all these people wishing to have genetically related children and for which gamete donation is now their unique option of parenthood. This is the case of infertile patients devoid of suitable gametes, same sex couples, singles and those fertile couples in a high risk of transmitting serious diseases to their progeny. In the search of the best method to obtain artificial gametes, many researchers have successfully obtained human germ cell-like cells from stem cells at different stages of differentiation. In the near future, this field will evolve to new methods providing not only viable but also functional and safe artificial germ cells. These artificial sperm and eggs should be able to recapitulate all the genetic and epigenetic processes needed for the correct gametogenesis, fertilization and embryogenesis leading to the birth of a healthy and fertile newborn.