• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.415-418
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• 1995

Semen characteristics were examined to find the deterioration of the percentage of live spermatozoa with intact acrosome during hot season using 5 Holstein bulls located in Shirnizu-cho Hokkaido Japan. Spermatozoal viability and acrosomal status were observed simultaneously with triple-stain technique for each spermatozoon. Spermatozoa were divided in four categories (live spermatozoa with intact acrosome, live spermatozoa without intact acrosome, dead spermatozoa with intact acrosome and dead spermatozoa without intact acrosome). Bull and collection month had significant effects on semen characteristics (p < 0.01). The percentage of live spermatozoa with intact acrosome and the percentage of live spermatozoa had the lowest least squares mean by collection month in August (72.7% and 76.7%). These two characteristics indicated the obvious deterioration during hot season. But the fluctuation of these two characteristics were not parallel and the differences between the two characteristics were largest during July to September. The present results indicate the necessity for the simultaneous determination of viability and acrosomal status of each Holstein bull's spermatozoa in order to keep fertility above an acceptable minimum level during hot season.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.409-419
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• 2001

This study was to examine whether the in vitro friability, motility and intact acrosome of frozen-thawed bovine and human sperm can be improved by adding Pentoxifylline (PF) or Fertilization Promoting Peptide (FPP). Human semen was frozen ultra-rapidly using Test yolk-buffer (TYB) freezing medium. Additive (PF, FPP) effects in frozen-thawed bovine and human sperm were analyzed by microscopic count for sperm motility and coomassie brilliant blue staining method f3r sperm acrosome intact. The in vitro motility of frozen-thawed bovine sperm with 5 mM PF treatment group (50.0%) was significantly higher than that of control (34.0%) (P＜0.05). In the frozen-thawed bovine sperm was examined, the intact acrosome rate of 50 nM FPP treatment (49.0%) was significantly higher than those of control (30.0%) and 25 nM FPP (38.0%) treatment groups (P＜0.01). In human semen, when in vitro motility of sperm with PF addition prior to freezing was examined, the result of 5 mM treatment group (51.0%) was significantly higher than those of control and 2.5 mM treatment group (39.0, 40.0%) (P＜0.01). In addition, 50 nM (75.5%) FPP adding in all treatment procedures for human semen freezing (before freezing, freezing and after thawing) was significant effect on maintenance of the sperm intact acrosome percentage (control: 45.0; 25 nM: 53.0; 100 nM: 68.0%) (P＜0.01). Also, the intact acrosome rate of human sperm with FPP (65.0%) was significantly higher than that with PF (43.0%) (P＜0.05), although sperm motility was slightly higher in PF treatment group. These results suggest that improved sperm motility and intact acrosome of frozen thawed bovine and human sperm can be obtained by addition of PF or FPP, and that the enhanced in vitro viability, motility and intact acrosome can be obtained by addition of FPP in all semen freezing procedures.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.57-63
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• 2020

To develop simple acrosome staining of horse spermatozoa, this study tested the binding properties of Coomassie brilliant blue G or R on the sperm smears after 3.7% paraformaldehyde (PF) or 35% methanol (MT) fixation. After being fixed with PF and stained with 0.05, 0.1, or 0.2 % of CBB G or R for 2 min, horse spermatozoa were examined for their intact acrosome status. The intact acrosome of fresh horse spermatozoa were 62.6% and 61.5% with 0.05% of the G and R CBB solution, but 80.2 and 79.7% with G type and 78.1 and 76.0% with R type. On the other hand, when MT was used for fixation, the acrosome reacting sperm ratio was 3.5%, but was 9.0% in the case of PF. These results show that the intact acrosome of horse sperm could be judged using a 0.1~0.2% CBB G or R staining technique. PF would be an essential fixative for examining acrosome reacting horse spermatozoa. This method could be used to identify sperm with a damaged acrosome during low-temperature storage or cryopreservation for artificial insemination of horses.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2022

The acrosome cap allows sperm to penetrate the egg membrane and produce male pronuclei within female chicken eggs, facilitating successful fertilization. Given this, it is important to establish practical methods for evaluating the integrity of the acrosome cap and thus the quality of the rooster's sperm. There are several established methods for evaluating the acrosomes of mammalian sperm, but none of these methods are suitable for evaluating the acrosome status of rooster spermatozoa. Therefore, a simplified method for evaluating the rooster acrosome is needed. Here we evaluated the usefulness of CBB (coomassie brilliant blue) staining of the acrosome at concentrations of 0.04%, 0.08%, and 0.3% CBB solutions. Our data revealed a clear staining pattern for intact acrosome caps at 0.04% and 0.08% CBB but not at 0.3% CBB. This protocol revealed differences in acrosome integrity between fresh and frozen rooster sperm smears suggesting that CBB staining may facilitate easier semen evaluation in roosters. This protocol allows for the accurate differential staining of acrosome cap in rooster spermatozoa.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.33-37
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• 2016

This study was conducted to evaluate effect of ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid (ALA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) on viability, acrosome reaction and mitochondrial intact in frozen-thawed boar sperm. The boar semen was collected by gloved-hand method and cryopreserved using freezing extender containing 3 ng/mL ALA and/or $20\;{\mu}g/mL$ BSA. Cryo-preserved boar sperms were thawed in $37^{\circ}C$ water-bath for 45 sec to analysis. Viability, acrosome reaction, and mitochondrial intact were analyzed using flow cytometry. In results, viability of frozen-thawed boar sperm was significantly higher in only ALA+BSA supplement group than control group (p<0.05), whereas there was no difference either in ALA or BSA supplement. However, acrosome reacted sperm in both of live and all sperm population were significantly decreased in all treatment groups than control (p<0.05). Interestingly, mitochondrial intact of boar sperm was enhanced in ALA and ALA+BSA groups compared with control (p<0.05). In this study, we showed that supplementation of ALA and BSA in freezing extender enhanced the sperm viability, mitochondrial intact and decrease acrosomal membrane damage. In conclusion, our findings suggest that quality of frozen-thawed sperm in mammalians could improve by using of ALA and BSA.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2003

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different freezing and thawing rates on the viability, motility and acrosomal changes of frozen canine spermatozoa. The ejaculated semen was extended with Tris-egg yolk buffer containing 8% glycerol and equilibrated for 60 min after cooled to 4$^{\circ}C$ for 58 min. The straws were cryopreserved gradually by slow-cooling at different distance(6, 10 and 17 cm, respectively) from the liquid nitrogen (L$N_2$) to achieve temperature rate of 3, 8.9 and 19$^{\circ}C$ /min. Thawing of the straws was performed in a water bath fur 2 min at 37$^{\circ}C$ and 55$^{\circ}C$ , respectively. The motility of frozen-thawed spermatozoa was assessed by phase-contrast microscopy. To assess their viability and acrosome content, spermatozoa were stained with a vital stain and Fluorescence conjugated lectin Pisum Savitum Agglutinin (FITC/PAS), respectively. Concentration of the ejaculated fresh semen was normal range of 3.44 $\times$ 10$^{8}$ /ml. Freezing temperature were reduced to -110, -70 and -35$^{\circ}C$, as higher distance from liquid nitrogen, 6, 10 and 17 cm, respectively. Freezing at 3$^{\circ}C$/min in distance of 17 cm from liquid nitrogen yielded better motility, viability and rate of intact acrosome than 8.9 or 19$^{\circ}C$/min and the optimal thawing was 37$^{\circ}C$ for 2 min.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 1991

This experiment was carried out to investigate ultrastructural changes that occurred in bovine epididymal spermatozoa during incubation in a BO medium supplemented with 5 mM caffeine. No structural changes were observed under electron microscope in the majority of non-incubated sperm(79.8%) keeping the membrane intact. Structural changes were however observed when spermatozoa were cultured in a BO medium supplemented with 5 mM caffeine, which were classified into 4 types, intact(29.4%), vesiculated(45.6%), acrosome lost(17.8%) and degenerated(7.2%) spermatozoa, respectively. These results indicated that : 1) vesiculation of spermatozoa membrane is normal acrosome reaction and acrosome lost of spermatozoa is dead one ; 2) caffeine can induce acrosome reaction of bovine epididymal spermatozoa.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.649-655
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• 2021

Nanotechnology is widely considered a major technology of the twenty-first century. Nanoparticles (NPs) has been shown to pass through reproductively significant biological barriers such as the blood-testicle and placental barriers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of silver Nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on sperm-egg interaction and spermatozoa quality parameters in quail spermatozoa. Semen was suspended in Ringer solution containing Ag-NPs levels at 5.5 × 106 sperm/ml (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 ppm). The results indicated that when sperm were counted at 0.1 ppm, the number of holes formed on the inner perivitelline layer was significantly increased compared to the control. The 10 ppm group had a significant reduction in sperm viability. At 0.1 and 1 ppm, the membrane integrity was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). All treatments (except 0.01 ppm Ag-NPs) had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the percentage of spermatozoa with an intact acrosome when compared to the control group. At 0.1, 1, and 10 ppm Ag-NPs, morphological defects in the acrosome were observed. As a result, Ag-NPs is likely capable of destroying the acrosome membrane. This research indicates that Ag-NPs may be cytotoxic to spermatozoa by impairing sperm functionality and increasing sperm mortality.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.311-318
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• 1997

Bypassing acrosome reaction and fusion process in intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI), most of injected spermatozoa still contain intact acrosome contents and plasma membrane. It Is not known yet what acrosome contents and plasma membrane of spermatozoa have effect on the development of embryo. For further understanding of fertilization process after ICSI, we studied the time of pronucleus formation, disappearance and first cleavage in human zygote, and pregnancy rate in relation to acrosome reaction rate of spermatozoa after ICSI. Seventy cycles undergoing ICSI program were randomly selected. Sperm suspension from 38 cycles were treated 50% human follicular fluid(hFF) for 3 hours in order to induce acrosome reaction, others were not treated as control. Acrosome reaction in hFF treated and non-treated group was assessed by fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-conjugated Arachis hypogea(PNA) and Pisum sativum agglutinin(PSA). Oocytes were classified into 'good' and 'poor' according to their morphology. After ICSI, fertilization of oocytes were assessed by detection of two pronuclei at 16 hours. The pronuclei disappearance and first cleavage of zygotes were observed at 24 hours, and then embryos were transferred to uterus after culture for 72 hours. The rate of acrosome reaction of spermatozoa in hFF treated group was significantly higher than that in control(p<0.01). Fertilization rates of good oocytes were not different both control and hFF treated group(81.3%(174/206) vs. 72.1%(102/130)). But, in poor oocytes, the fertilization rates in hFF treated group(72.1%(149/183)) were increased compared than those of control group (63.6%(98/140), p<0.01). In either good or poor oocytes, the rates of pronuclei disappearance in hFF treated-spermatozoa injected oocytes were higher than control (59.1%(103/174), 56.4%(84/149) vs. 32.4%(33/102), 37.8%(37/98), p<0.01). Also, the rates of thirst cleavage were increased in hFF treated group (31%(54/174), 24.1%(36/149)) compared than those of control group (10.8%(11/102), 13.2%(13/98), p<0.01). The pregnancy rates of hFF treated group (42.1%(16/38)) were slightly higher than control group (28.1%(9/32), p>0.05). But, the pregnancy rate of group which possessed more than one cleavaged zygote at 24 hours was higher than group which did not (45.2%(19/42) vs. 21.4%(6/28), p<0.05). From these results, the development of zygotes were faster in higher acrosome reacted sperm group than lower acrosome reacted sperm group after ICSI. Our results may be explained that acrosomal membrane and plasma membrane are easily detached from spermatozoa in acrosome reacted spermatozoa compared with acrosome intact sperm in the cytoplasm of oocyte during pronuclear formation. We conclude that the injection of acrosome reacted spermatozoa will increase the pregnancy rate as they can induce fast embryonic development in ICSI.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.163-166
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• 2012

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between elapsed time after semen preservation on the changes of bacteria and semen quality. Semen was diluted with BTS(Beltsville Thawing Solution) extender without antibiotic for 7 days and sperm parameter and fertility were measured. Sperm motility was measured by CASA and total bacteria number was counted after 22~24 hr incubation from counting agar plate in which sperm dilute to $10{\sim}10^6$ in 0.9% saline solution and inoculate to agar. Acrosomal integrity was measured by Chlortetracycline (CTC) staining. CTC patterns were uniform fluorescence over the whole head (pattern F), characteristic of incapacitated acrosome-intact spermatozoa; fluorescence-free band in the post-acrosomal region (pattern B), characteristic of capacitated acrosome-intact spermatozoa; and almost no fluorescence over the whole head except for a thin band in the equatorial segment (pattern AR), characteristic of acrosome reacted spermatozoa. Total number of bacteria was significantly increased (p<0.0001) 3 days after preservation. Sperm motility, viability, and morphological abnormality on elapsed time after preservation were lower from 5 ($77.24{\pm}6.47$, p<0.001) and 7 days ($77.24{\pm}6.47$, p<0.001) after preservation compared to 1 ($15.71{\pm}7.18$) and 3 days($18.39{\pm}7.22$) after preservation, respectively. Sperm viability was significantly lower ($53.25{\pm}35.03$, p<0.0001) at 7 days after preservation. Morphological abnormality of sperm was lower (p<0.001) at 1 ($15.71{\pm}7.18$) and 3 ($18.39{\pm}7.22$) days compared to 5 ($21.84{\pm}7.91$) and 7 ($22.59{\pm}9.93$) days after preservation. Acrosomal integrity and capacitation rate (pattern F) were significantly lower (p<0.001) from 5 days after preservation. Based on the data we obtained from this study suggested that semen preserved more than 5 days without antibiotic would not recommend use for artificial insemination.