• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.1196-1202
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• 2001

In boar spermatozoa, the head-to-head agglutinability changes in parallel with the development of the fertilizing ability. Namely, both abilities gradually increase in the distal caput and corpus epididymides, but are subsequently suppressed in the cauda epididymidis. It has been postulated that these changes of the agglutinability are controlled via sperm interaction with specific epididymal plasma factors including agglutination mediators (agglutinins) and inhibitors (anti-agglutinins). Expression of these abilities (sperm agglutination and capacitation) is hardly observed in spermatozoa immediately. after ejaculation, but it occurs during incubation in a capacitation medium. Recently, we have purified and characterized epididymal plasma anti-agglutinin for boar spermatozoa. Moreover, we have conducted a series of experiments to reveal biological significance and mechanism of the head-to-head agglutination and have accumulated data indicating that boar sperm agglutination is mediated by capacitation-supporting factors including calcium, bicarbonate and sterol acceptors. This review introduces our recent data and discusses a possible mechanism for suppression of the agglutinability in the distal epididymidis and relationship between agglutinability and fertilizing ability.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.201-206
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of oocyte activation after ICSI and of capacitation of insemination sperm before ICSI in Swine. There was no significant difference on cleavage rate and blastocyst developmental rate treated with ethanol, cycloheximide, or ethanol and cycloheximide jointly between treatment and control groups. However, significantly difference was found on cleavage rate and blastocyst developmental rate treated with caffeine and Ca-ionophore on capacitation of insemination sperm before ICSI (p<0.05). There was no significant difference on pronuclear formation rate and total oocyte activation rate treated with oocyte activation after ICSI between treatment and control groups, but was significant difference on pronuclear formation rate and total oocyte activation rate treated with capacitation treat of sperm (p<0.05).

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.241-246
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of storage time on fresh boar semen in Androhep and Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS). Boar semen samples extended in each extender were stored at $17^{\circ}C$ up to 4 days. Sperm motility kinematics was evaluated by computer assisted sperm analyzer (CASA) and capacitation status by chlortetracycline (CTC)/Hoechst 33258 staining. Sperm motility (%) was not decreased during storage in BTS and Androhep. No significant difference between extenders was observed. Only significant differences in kinematic parameters on linearity during storage were found. The percentage of dead sperm significantly decreased during storage (p<0.05). Also the percentage of noncapacitated, capacitated, and acrosome-reacted sperm significantly modified during storage (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between extenders except proportion of capacitated sperm. This finding supported that modification in these parameters was not significantly different between extenders during this short-term storage. Our finding strongly indicated that both Androhep and BIS maintained favorable conditions for motility, motility kinematics, and capacitation status during short-term storage. Despite modifications in some parameters were apparent during sperm storage in extenders, these may not affect the fertilizing capacity of boar semen.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 1999

To make up the medium for quantitative selection of capacitated-sperm through sucrose layer, the effects of BSA, caffeine, heparin and progesterone on sperm swim-up migration and movement were examined. And the results obtained were as follows; 1. BSA of 4mg/ml in bMSS stimulated sperm migration and movement, and attracted capacitated-sperm. 2. Caffeine of 5mM in bMSS containing 4mg/ml BSA stimulated sperm movement and attracted capacitated-sperm. 3. Heparin of 20$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in bMAA containing both 4mg/ml BSA and 5mM caffeine stimulated movement and capacitation of sperm. 4. Progesterone of 50$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in bMSS containing all 4mg/ml BSA, 5mM caffeine and 20$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml heparin (BCHP-MSS) attracted capacitated-sperm. 5. Effect of BCHP-MSS on sperm on sperm attraction was not different from effect of 10% follicular fluid solution (FF-MSS) on sperm swim-up separation. In conclusion, bMSS with 4mg/ml BSA, 5mM caffeine, 20$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml heparin and 50$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml progesterone(BCHP-MSS) was a optimal condition for selection of capacitated-sperm through sucrose layer.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.925-934
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• 1997

This study was directed at inducing the production of antibodies by immunizing heifers with bovine sperm antigen and on measuring the serum antibodies using indirect immunofluorescence assay(IFA) and agglutination test. The effect of antisperm antibodies on fertilizing capacity of bovine spermatozoa was evaluated. 1. Three heifers between 12- and 15- month old were immunized with bovine spermatozoa or phosphate-buffered saline. In heifers immunized with bovine spermatozoa serum IgG level was highest between 3 weeks and 5 weeks postimmunization detected by IFA. The antibody levels persisted through week 7 and slowly declined until week 20 and then antisperm antibodies were localized on spermatozoa. The fluorescent antisperm antibodies were detected at 2~20 weeks and at 6~9 weeks postinoculation on acrosome and tail, respectively. Among 21 sera from repeat breeder cows, only one cow has shown positive antisperm antibody response detected by IFA. 2. In spite of vital rate of bovine sperm after swim-up was not significantly affected by different concentration of antisperm antibodies in sera, the numbers of bovine sperm after swim-up were significantly reduced in proportion to the increased concentration of antibodies. Above 1/512 dilution of antibody neither influence on vital rate and numbers of bovine sperm nor sperm agglutination after swim-up. The study has also shown that the vital rate and number of sperm after swim-up and capacitation were also significantly reduced by the addition of antisperm antibodies. Although antisperm antibodies did not influence on the acrosome reaction rate of sperm during swim-up, did significantly reduce the sperm acrosome reaction rate after capacitation. The studies have resulted that the bovine antisperm antibodies can prevent the sperm motility by agglutination and block the capacitation and acrosome reaction of bovine sperm.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.431-437
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• 2000

Evaluation of viability and capacitation of canine sperm is of great importance to deter- mine good condition for freezing canine semen and consequently to improve conception rate by arti-ficial insemination. Semen were collected from nine male dots which had been proved to be fertile in the post and the semen were treaded for freezing procedure. Semen were thawed at 37$^{\circ}C$ for 30 seconds. In this study, hypoosmotic swelling(HOS) test and chlortetracycline(CTC) test were per- formed to evaluate post-thaw viability and capacitated status of sperm, respectively. In HOS test far canine sperm, the highest percentage of curled sperm was shown at 60 mOsm. In HOS test for canine semen, there were considerably significant correlation between HOS values and sperm motil- ity(r=0.9064, p<0.01) and converse correlation between HOS values and sperm abnormality(r=- 0.6905, p<0.05). The sperm viability and HOS-values for chilled extended semen were significantly decreased from 0 to 72 hours during storage at 5$^{\circ}C$ (p<0.05). Of the media added to canine semen after thawing, the most capacitated sperm were shown in CCM(p<0.01), and then This Fructose Cit- rate(TFC) medium with calcium from 3 hours after incubation with media. It was concluded that HOS test is of great value to determine the viability and motility of canine sperm, whereas CTC test is usable to determine the capacitated status. Consequently, both tests were thought to be useful as the additional tests to standard semen analysis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.334-342
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• 2013

Proteases and protease inhibitors play key roles in most physiological processes, including cell migration, cell signaling, and cell surface and tissue remodeling. Among these, the matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) pathway is one of the most efficient biosynthetic pathways for controlling the activation of enzymes responsible for protein degradation. This also indicates the association of MMPs with the maturation of spermatozoa. In an attempt to investigate the effect of MMP activation and inhibitors in cultures with various hormones during sperm capacitation, we examined and monitored the localization and expression of MMPs (MMP-2 and MMP-9), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-2 and TIMP-3), as well as their expression profiles. Matured spermatozoa were collected from cultures with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and Lutalyse at 1 h, 6 h, 18 h, and 24 h. ELISA detected the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-2, and TIMP-3 in all culture media, regardless of medium type (FSH-supplemented fertilization Brackett-Oliphant medium (FFBO), LH-supplemented FBO (LFBO), or Lutalyse-supplemented FBO (LuFBO)). TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 expression patterns decreased in LFBO and LuFBO. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in FBO and FFBO progressively increased from 1 h to 24 h but was not detected in LFBO and LuFBO. The localization and expression of TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 in sperm heads was also measured by immunofluorescence analysis. However, MMPs were not detected in the sperm heads. MMP and TIMP expression patterns differed according to the effect of various hormones. These findings suggest that MMPs have a role in sperm viability during capacitation. In conjunction with hormones, MMPs play a role in maintaining capacitation and fertilization by controlling extracellular matrix inhibitors of sperm.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.309-313
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• 1990

This stduy was carried out to investigate the effect of concentration of PC12 and washing of sperm of sperm motility and acrosome reaction, and the effect of sperm incubated in mTALP solution containing PC12 112.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml on development of follicular oocytes matured in vitro. The results obtained were as follows. 1. When fresh sperm was once washed and then incubated in mTALP solution containing 0, 75, 112.5 and 225$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml PC12 for 15minutes, 225$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml showed significantly higher percent of acrosome reacted sperm than 0, 75, 112.5 and 225$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml. 2. When once or twice washed fresh sperm was cultured in mTALP containing 112.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml PC12 for 15minutes, no-washing showed significantly higher percent of motile sperm than that once- and twice-washing showed significantly higher percent of acrosome reacted seprm than no- and once-washing. 3. When sperm was cultrued in mTALP containing PC12, 112.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml for 15minutes and then was cocultured with bovine follicular oocytes matured in vitro, 11.2 to 22.4% of the oocytes were coleaved to more than 2cell stage.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.192-203
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• 1986

Two experiments in this study were designed to compare the potential for in vitro capacitation and in vitro fertilization of ejaculated sperm among individual rabbit bucks. In experiment 1, for in vitro capacitation, the ejaculated sperm were preincubated in DM for 12 hr or 18 hr after HIS treatment, then 12 hr -or 18 hr- preincubated sperm were incubated with superovulated rabbit ova in a 5% CO2 incubator for 36 hr at 38$^{\circ}C$, and a part of cleaved ova was transferred to the recipient does for implantation of embryo. In experiment 2, effect of lysolecithin addition to preincubation medium on induction of accelerated in vitro capacitation and in vitro fertilization of individual rabbit sperm was studied. Experiment 1; 1. Percent acrosome reaction of sperm, noted after staining, after 12 hr or 18 hr preincubation ranged from 52.5 to 76.0% and from 67.5 to 90.0%, respectively and sperm motility index of these sperm ranged from 20.0 to 47.5 for 12 hr-preincubated sperm and from 15.0 to 37.5 for 18 hr- preincubated sperm. There was no a certain relation between percent acrosome reaction and sperm motility index. 2. In vitro fertilization rate (cleavage rate) of in vitro capacitated sperm varied widely among individual bucks, ranging from 0 to 47.8% for 12 hr - preincubated sperm and from 0 to 60.9% for 18 hr -prein- cubated sperm. Cleavage rate of 18 hr - preincubated sperm was higher and faster than that of 12 hr - preincubated sperm. 3. Eight of 44 in vitro fertilized embryos transferred into 6 recipients were implanted in 4 recipients (66.7%) up to day 15 and implnatation rate was 18.2%. Experiment 2; 1. The percent acrosome reaction of sperm before and after 4 hr preincubation in DM without lysolecithin varied significantly among individual bucks, ranging from 0.4 to 18.4% and from 1.7 to 37.4%, respectively and percent acrosome reaction of sperm at 30 min after addition of 60${\mu}$g/ml lysolecithin also was significantly different among bucks, ranging from 19.2 to 67.1%. 2. Effect of accelerated acrosome reaction following lysolecithin addition was more considerable in the individuals showed less percent acrosome reaction before and after 4 hr preincubation. Percentage of motile sperm and motility score showed a trendency towards a decrease with increase of preincubation time and time after lysolecithin addition. 3. In vitro fertilization rate (cleavage rate) at 24 hr postinesmination with pooled sperm were treated to 60 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml lysolecithin for 30 min after 4 hr preincubation was 24.6%, a higher rate than 13.2% for control. While 80 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml lysolecithin-added sperm showed a lower cleavage than control and 60$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml-added sperm at both 24 hr and 48 hr postinsemination. These results from 2 experiments suggest that more useful preincubation time for the in vitro capacitation of ejaculated rabbit sperm is 18 hr in DM after HIS treatment, although there is wide variation in vitro capacitation and in vitro fertilization rate among individual bucks, and lysolecithin addition to at least 4 hr - preincubated sperm in DM can result in almost same in vitro fertilization rate as that of 18 hr - preincubated sperm in the experiment 1.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.87-93
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• 1999

The possible role of Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter in both the capacitation and the acrosome reaction (AR) was examined in mouse epididymal spermatozoa. Spontaneous acrosome reaction was inhibited by dimethyl amiloride (DMA), a specific inhibitor of Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter, with dose dependent manner. Follicular fluid- or A23l 87-induced acrosome reaction was not inhibited by DMA. It suggests that change in pH$_{i}$ by monovalent cation transport through the Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter is possibly engaged in the capacitation and that agonist- as well as A23l87-induced AR in capacitated sperm might be independent from the Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter. Conclusively, changes in pH$_{i}$ through the Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter might be important for sperm capacitation and it virtually occurs upstream of the $Ca^{2+}$ influx which precedes the acrosome reaction in mouse epididymal spermatozoa.pididymal spermatozoa.