• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.287-291
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• 2016

For evaluating the boar semen quality, sperm motility (MOT) is an important parameter because the movement of spermatozoa indicates active metabolism, membrane integrity and fertilizing capacity. Estrogen receptors 2(ESR2) is involved in estrogen related apoptosis in cell cycle spermatogenesis, but their functions have not been confirmed in pig until now. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyze their association with sperm motility and kinematic characteristics. DNA samples from 105 Duroc pigs with records of semen motility and kinematic characteristics [Total motile spermatozoa (MOT), Curvilinear velocity(VCL), Straight-line velocity(VSL), the ratio between VSL and VCL(LIN), Amplitude of Lateral Head displacement(ALH)] were analyzed. A SNP in coding region of ESR2 g.35547A > G in exon 5 was associated with MOT (p < 0.05) in Duroc population. Therefore, we suggest that the porcine ESR2 gene may be used as a molecular marker for Duroc boar semen quality, although its functional effects were not defined yet. These results might shed new light on the roles of ESR2 in spermatogenesis as candidate gene for boar fertility, but still the lack of association across populations should be considered.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.59-64
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• 2008

본 연구는 정액의 보존 기간 동안 정액의 질적 변화를 알아보고자 시행하였다. 돼지 정액을 Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS)에 희석한 후 $17^{\circ}C$에서 5일 동안 보존하였다. 보존 기간 동안 정자의 운동성(%)과 linearity는 3일째부터 유의하게 감소하였으나, 다른 운동 역학 변수에서는 유의적 변화를 나타내지 않았다. 또한, 5일 동안 정액을 보존할 경우 첨체의 온전성에도 변화가 없었다. 그러나 제 4일째부터 첨체 변화가 야기된 정자는 유의적으로 증가하였으나, 수정능 획득이 일어난 정자는 유의적으로 감소하였다. 정액의 보존 기간 동안 첨체의 온전성의 유의적 변화가 없었다. 즉, 보존 기간 3일동안 정자의 질적 운동성 및 첨체 온전성에는 유의적인 변화가 없었으므로 상업용 돼지 액상정액은 $17^{\circ}C$에서 적어도 3일간 수정능력을 만족스럽게 유지함을 보여준다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.54-60
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• 2020

Objective: Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of male infertility. But, the adverse effects of oxidative biomarkers on sperm quality remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the levels of nitric oxide (NO), 8-hydroxydesoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) oxidative biomarkers in seminal plasma and their relationship with sperm parameters. Methods: A total of 77 volunteers participated in the study, including fertile (n = 40) and infertile men (n = 37). NO, 8-OHdG, and TAC levels were measured using the ferric reducing ability of plasma, Griess reagent method and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, respectively. Results: The mean values of sperm parameters in the infertile group were significantly lower than those in the fertile group (p< 0.001). The mean 8-OHdG in the seminal plasma of infertile men was significantly higher (p= 0.013) than those of controls, while the mean TAC was significantly lower (p= 0.046). There was no significant difference in NO level between the two groups. The elevated seminal 8-OHdG levels were negatively correlated with semen volume, total sperm counts and morphology (p< 0.001, p= 0.001 and p= 0.052, respectively). NO levels were negatively correlated with semen volume, total sperm counts and morphology (p= 0.014, p= 0.020 and p= 0.060, respectively). Positive correlations between TAC and both sperm count and morphology (p= 0.043 and p= 0.025, respectively) were also found. Conclusion: These results suggested that increased levels of NO and 8-OHdG in seminal plasma could have a negative effect on sperm function by inducing damage to the sperm DNA hence their fertility potentials. Therefore, these biomarkers can be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.445-449
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• 1998

Semen quality was compared between the local Katjang and the cross-bred (local Katjang ♀ ${\times}$ German Fawn ♂) bucks. There were on significant genotypic differences in semen characteristics of concentration (first ejaculate : $6.19{\pm}1.30$ -versus $6.33{\pm}1.40{\times}10^9/ml;$second ejaculate: $5.82{\pm}1.10$ - versus $5.68{\pm}1.45{\times}10^9/ml$, for Katjang and the cross-breds, respectively), percentage live (first ejaculate: $77.61{\pm}1.33%$ versus $77.81{\pm}0.53%$; second ejaculate: $81.97{\pm}1.59%$ versus $82.74{\pm}0.96%$, for Katjang and cross-breds, respectively) and percentage of normal sperms (first ejaculate: $12.54{\pm}3.88%$ versus $26.45{\pm}3.83%$; second ejaculate: $38.68{\pm}3.65%$ versus $28.54{\pm}4.38%$, for Katjang and cross-breds, respectively), with the exception of seminal volume and sperm motility. Means of all variables were within the values reported for other goat breeds, In contrast, the differences in semen characteristics between the first and second ejaculations of both genotypes were more distinct, the second ejaculations always had more volume, more normal sperms and better sperm motility but less sperm concentrations. Removing the seminal plasma and replacing it with tris-citrate buffer greatly prolonged the viability of sperms of both genotypes when stored at $5{^{\circ}C}$. Sperm motility seens to be a good indicator of sperm viability. However, the sperms of the corss-bred bucks withstood the washing process better and their swimming abilities were superior ($8.12{\pm}0.46mm/min$) when compared to those of the local Katjang breed ($5.42{\pm}0.49mm/min$). The higher content of calcium ions in their seminal plasma (first ejaculate: $10.5{\pm}0.8$ versus $10.6{\pm}0.8mg/100ml$;second ejaculate: $15.3{\pm}0.8$ versus $16.1{\pm}0.8mg/100ml$, for Katjang and cross-breds, respectively) means that in natural matings the sperms of the cross-breds would be at an advantage compared to those of the local Katjang, since calcium ions reportedly initiate acrosomal reactions.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.207-213
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• 2017

Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of infections with human papillomavirus, Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, and Mycoplasma genitalium in the semen of Korean infertile couples and their associations with sperm quality. Methods: Semen specimens were collected from 400 men who underwent a fertility evaluation. Infection with above five pathogens was assessed in each specimen. Sperm quality was compared in the pathogen-infected group and the non-infected group. Results: The infection rates of human papillomavirus, C. trachomatis, U. urealyticum, M. hominis, and M. genitalium in the study subjects were 1.57%, 0.79%, 16.80%, 4.46%, and 1.31%, respectively. The rate of morphological normality in the U. urealyticum-infected group was significantly lower than in those not infected with U. urealyticum. In a subgroup analysis of normozoospermic samples, the semen volume and the total sperm count in the pathogen-infected group were significantly lower than in the non-infected group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that infection with U. urealyticum alone and any of the five sexually transmitted infections are likely to affect sperm morphology and semen volume, respectively.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.257-263
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• 2011

BPA, a diphenyl compound containing groups, that make it structurally similar to synthetic estrogen and is considered as one of the major endocrine disruptors. Silymarin has extensively been used to prevent and/or alleviate some human disease, especially for the treatment of adverse liver conditions. It has an antioxidative efficacy and cancer preventive efficacy. Therefore, we examined the hypothesis that silymarin can inhibit BPA-induced toxicity in boar sperm duing in vitro storage. Sperm characteristics (motility, viability, membrane integrity and mitochondrion activity) in semen exposed to BPA (10~200 uM) were sharply lowered, while it increase in a dose and time dependent manner due to silymarin addition (50~200 uM) into semen extender in the presence of BPA (100 uM). All of the evaluated characteristics were gradually improved in the groups that were treated with silymarin (50~200 uM) in the presence of BPA (100 uM) in comparison to BPA 100 uM alone group, irrespective of incubation periods (3 and 6 h). These results demonstrate that silymarin can ameliorate the toxicity of BPA on boar sperm characteristics during in vitro storage, suggesting that silymarin indirectly act as an antioxidant.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.340-345
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• 2008

Oxidative stress is one of the major causes of failure of in vitro storage of boar semen. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are one of the important mediators of oxidative stress during in vitro storage of boar semen. Our study examined the effects of taurine on sperm characteristic and on in vitro developmental embryos during in vitro storage of boar semen for 7 days. Semen was randomly aliquoted into 3 centrifuge tubes and treated with different concentrations of taurine (25-100 mM). The characteristics of boar sperm were analyzed for motility by light microscopy, viability by using a Makler counting chamber and membrane integrity by a hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST). The percentages of motile spermatozoa in taurine groups after 5 days were significantly higher compared to the control. Sperm viability in the control was lower than in taurine groups after 7 days irrespective of different taurine concentration. In the hyoosmotic swelling test (HOST), significantly higher results were obtained in taurine groups after 3 days. Also, the developmental rates of IVM/IVF porcine embryos from semen treated with pyruvate and taurine were significantly increased when compared with the control (p<0.05). These results indicate that supplementation of taurine as an antioxidant in boar semen extender can improve the semen quality.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.69-75
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• 2021

Cryopreservation is a widely-used efficient means of long-term sperm preservation. However, unlike other types of semen, cryopreserved boar semen has reduced fertility and the efforts continue to optimize post-thawing sperm recovery. In this study, we evaluated the effects of various washing solutions (Hulsen solution, lab-made DPBS and commercial DPBS) on post-thawing porcine sperm kinematics (CASA system), viability (SYBR-14/PI) and acrosome integrity (PSA/FITC). We also examined the effect of washing-centrifugation on frozen-thawed semen kinematics. The results indicate that type of washing solution and post-thawing centrifugation alters parameters linked to sperm quality (total motility, progressive motility, viability and acrosome integrity). Significantly higher (p < 0.05) motility and progressive motility were obtained when cryopreserved semen was processed with Hulsen solution. The post-thaw percentage of live and intact acrosomal sperm was significantly higher in group 1 (Hulsen solution) as compared to other groups. Following thawing-centrifugation, the results showed significantly higher motility and progressive motility in group 1 than other groups. However, the latter two DPBS groups did not differ statistically. Taken together, Frozen-thawed spermatozoa motility, acrosome integrity and viability can be affected by the type of washing solution used. Moreover, centrifugation of frozen-thawed semen has an unfavorable effect on total motility and progressive motility.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.244-253
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• 2022

Background: The indiscriminate use of pesticides in Nigeria may have harmful effects on reproductive health of farmers. Objectives: This study assessed the awareness of reproductive health, serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, estradiol, progesterone and sperm characteristics of male farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides. Methods: Eighty four male farmers were recruited for the study. Structured questionnaire was used to obtain the socio-demographic data. Blood and semen samples were collected from the subjects in the morning for hormonal assays and semen analysis using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method and SQAV sperm quality analyzer. Data were analyzed using chi square, Student's-t-test, and Regression analysis. Results: Serum FSH (p<0.01), LH (p<0.005) and Estradiol (p<0.001) were significantly higher while prolactin (p<0.02) and testosterone (p<0.001) were significantly lower among pesticides exposed farmers than nonexposed subjects. Some 34/84 (40.5%) of the pesticides exposed farmers had serum testosterone levels below the lower limit of the reference range. Those with low testosterone levels (p<0.001), also had FSH (p<0.05), LH (p<0.001) and Estradiol (p<0.002) significantly lower than those with normal testosterone levels. The sperm count among pesticides exposed farmers; total motility and percentage morphology were significantly lower than non-pesticides exposed subjects. Some 14/84 (16.7%) of the pesticides exposed farmers had sperm count below 15 million/mL (oligozoospermia). More than 70% of the farmers were not aware of the reproductive health risks associated with pesticides and only 23.8% of the farmers were using protective devices. Conclusions: Deliberate efforts to improve awareness, knowledge, personal hygiene, and interventions necessary to lessen both pesticides exposure and health risks by adopting safe practices are suggested.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.306-313
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• 2024

The genus Chirostoma is endemic from the Mesa Central of Mexico. It is conformed of 18 species and six subspecies. Five species are in some category of risk, because of this, Chirostoma jordani is an excellent model species to implement biotechnologies like gametes cryopreservation. Aim of present study was to evaluate fertilizing capacity of cryopreserved C. jordani sperm, as alternative to conservation and assisted reproduction in this specie and genus. Males and females were collected from wild Atlangatepec dam stock, Tlaxcala State, Mexico. Seminal quality was evaluated in fresh and cryopreserved semen with three cryoprotective agents (CPAs): 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 10% methanol (MeOH), 14% ethylene glycol (EG) and it was determined its post-thaw fertilizing capacity. Sperm motility percentage decreased during cryopreservation process (p < 0.05). There were not significant differences in post-thaw motility percentage between EG (53.5 ± 1.9%) and MeOH (53.3 ± 1.3%), but DMSO (50.3 ± 0.5%) was significantly different (p < 0.05). Results showed that 0.2 μL fresh semen were enough to fertilize 100% oocytes (n = 60). 10 μL DMSO and 5 μL MeOH and EG cryopreserved semen were necessary to fertilize oocytes 100% (n = 60) (p < 0.05). Cryopreservation and fertilization protocol for C. jordani sperm was efficient and it could be used for its assisted reproduction.