• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 2006

We investigated the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$ on human sperm motility in fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile individuals in vitro and the mechanism by which the Ginsenosides play their roles. The semen samples were obtained from 10 fertile volunteers and 10 asthenozoospermic infertile patients. Spermatozoa were separated by Percoll and incubated with 0, 1, 10 or $100\;{\mu}M$ of Ginsenoside $R_e$. Total sperm motility and progressive motility were measured by computer-aided sperm analyzer (CASA). Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was determined by the $^{3}H$-arginine to $^{3}H$-citrulline conversion assay, and the NOS protein was examined by the Western blot analysis. The production of sperm nitric oxide (NO) was detected using the Griess reaction. The results showed that Ginsenoside $R_e$ significantly enhanced both fertile and infertile sperm motility, NOS activity and NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 100 nM), a NO donor, mimicked the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$. And pretreatment with a NOS inhibitor $N^{w}$-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, $100\;{\mu}M$) or a NO scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (LNAC, 1 mM) completely blocked the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$. Data suggested that Ginsenoside $R_e$ is beneficial to sperm motility, and that induction of NOS to increase NO production may be involved in this benefit.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 2002

This study was performed to investigate the freezomg condition especially focused on extender composition to achieve good post-thaw viability and motility of canine sperm. Semen were collected from 6 male dogs which had been proved to be fertile in the past and were treated for freezing. Equex-STM paste was contained in both the 1st(3%) and the 2nd(7%) diluent and the 2nd diluent was added to the 1st diluent following glycerol equilibration for an hour and a half. To investigate the effect of Equex-STM paste in the extender on post-thaw canine sperm characteristics, the post-thaw viability, motility, and HOS(Hypoosmotic swelling) values were evaluated according to the different composition of extender with or without Equex-STM paste, thawing conditions, and different thawing media added to thawed semen. 1. Canine sperm removed from seminal plasma and frozen )n Sweden extender containing Equex showed higher post-thaw viability, motility, and HOS values than those frozen in the extender containing Equex-STM paste with seminal plasma and those frozen in the extender without Equex and seminal plasma. 2. Canine sperm frozen in Sweden extender containing Equex-STM paste with 5% glycerol showed higher post-thaw viability, motility, and HOS values than those frozen with 3%, 8% glycerol or 5% DMSO. 3. The canine semen frozen in Sweden extender with 5% glycerol and Equex-STM paste showed higher viability, motility, and HOS values when thawed at $70^{\circ}C$ for 8 seconds than when thawed at $37.5^{\circ}C$ for 1 min and at $18-20^{\circ}C$ for 5 min. 4. TFC (tris -fructose-citrate) and PB S (phosphate buffered saline) medium added immediately to thawed canine semen brought better viability, motility, and HOS values for the sperm than those semen added with TGC(tris-glucose-citrate) and no medium. These results indicated that Equex-STM paste in Sweden extender for freezing the canine sperm which were removed from seminal plasma brought good post-thaw viability and motility of canine sperm. Also of the freezing conditions of canine sperm with the same extender containing Equex, the concentration of 5% glycerol, the thawing condition at $70^{\circ}C$ for 8 sec, and TFC and PBS medium added to the thawed semen brought better post-thaw viability and motility of canine sperm than the other conditions used in this study.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.349-353
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of semen extenders on the sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity and functional integrity of plasma membrane (HOST: hypo-osmotic swelling test) during liquid preservation of Korean Native boar semen. In this experiment, semen was diluted in Androhep plus, Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS), ModenaTM, Seminark and Vitasem LD. Sperm-rich fractions were collected from three Korean Native boars and sub-samples were diluted ($30{\times}10^6$ spermatozoa/ml) in different semen extenders. Semen samples were stored at $17^{\circ}C$ for 96 hours. On everyday (0, 24, 48, 72, 96 h) after storage, the sperm characteristics relevant for fertility, such as sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity and HOST positive were evaluated. The motility of spermatozoa stored in different extenders was no significantly different among other extenders (P>0.05). Also, no difference was observed among samples processed with different extenders in the percentage of sperm viability, acrosome integrity and HOST positive. All extenders maintained a high percentage (70%) of sperm motility, viability and acrosome integrity through 96 h of storage. The result of this study show that there was no significant differences among extenders in their capacity to preserve motility, viability and membrane integrity of spermatozoa from normal, fertile Korean Native boars for 96 h of liquid preservation at $17^{\circ}C$.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2000

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of polycystic ovarian follicular fluid on sperm motility in human in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods: From May, 1998 to July, 1999, 55 patients who complained of infertility were involved in this study. We obtained ovarian follicular fluids from the patients by ultrasono-guided aspiration. Subjects were divided into two groups. 20 patients who had polycystic ovarian disease were belong to study group, and 25 patients who had normal ovarian follicular fluid were belong to control group. The follicular fluid dilution was done with Ham's fluid as 10%, 20%, 50%, 100%. The sperm motility was analyzed by CASA at 6hr and 12hr after incubation in follicular fluids. Results: The levels of average path velocity (VAP) in all concentration fluid didn't show significant difference between study and control group. The other parameters including curvilinear velocity (VCL), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), and linerity (LIN) were didn't show any significant difference between both groups. Conclusion: PCOD fluid had seemed to have an adverse effect on the sperm biological function. But, this study showed that PCOD fluid had no different effect on sperm motility with normal follicular fluid.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.1827-1838
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• 2022

Objective: The semen quality of stallions including sperm motility is an important target of selection as it has a high level of individual variability. However, effects of the molecular architecture of the genome on the mechanisms of sperm formation and their preservation after thawing have been poorly investigated. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for the sperm motility of cryopreserved semen in stallions of various breeds. Methods: Semen samples were collected from the stallions of 23 horse breeds. The following semen characteristics were examined: progressive motility (PM), progressive motility after freezing (FPM), and the difference between PM and FPM. The respective DNA samples from these stallions were genotyped using Axiom Equine Genotyping Array. Results: We performed a GWAS search for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and potential genes related to motility properties of frozen-thawed semen in the stallions of various breeds. As a result of the GWAS analysis, two SNP markers, rs1141327473 and rs1149048772, were identified that were associated with preservation of the frozen-thawed stallion sperm motility, the relevant putative candidate genes being NME/NM23 family member 8 (NME8), olfactory receptor family 2 subfamily AP member 1 (OR2AP1), and olfactory receptor family 6 subfamily C member 4 (OR6C4). Potential implications of effects of these genes on sperm motility are herein discussed. Conclusion: The GWAS results enabled us to localize novel SNPs and candidate genes for sperm motility in stallions. Implications of the study for horse breeding and genetics are a better understanding of genomic regions and candidate genes underlying stallion sperm quality, and improvement in horse reproduction and breeding techniques. The identified markers and genes for sperm cryotolerance and the respective genomic regions are promising candidates for further studying the biological processes in the formation and function of the stallion reproductive system.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.228-232
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• 2005

Damaged spermatozoa are supposed to be trapped in glass wool. In the respect of this, two glass wool filtration spermatozoa groups (0.5 cm, 1 cm depth) were compared with control group to assay sperm motility, HOS values, and vital rate by CFDA/PI staining method following glass wool filtration. The motility of canine sperm extended with PBS+PVP after glass wool filtration was lower in both filtrated groups than that of the control group (p<0.01) and the same significant difference was also shown in canine semen extended with Tris buffer (p<0.01). The motility of canine sperm diluted with PBS+PVP was higher than that diluted with Tris buffer in the same experimental groups (p<0.05). The motility of control group was not significantly decreased until 2 hours immediately after extending, however, the motility of both glass wool filtrated spermatozoa were significantly decreased as time passed until 2 hours after filtration (p<0.01). At each time for assay (immediately, 30 min, 2 hours after filtration), the motility of canine sperm of control group was higher than the filtrated groups (p<0.05), whereas the motility of 0.5 cm depth group was higher than 1 cm depth group at the immediate time after filtration (p<0.05), 30 minutes later (p<0.05) with no difference at 2 hours. No difference was shown among the experimental groups in HOS values of canine sperm after glass wool filtration. The vital rate assayed by CFDA/PI staining of both filter groups was higher than the control group (p<0.05).

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2012

A study was conducted on four crossbred bulls, used as artificial insemination (AI) sires, to correlate their semen quality with their non return rate (NRR). Semen was collected once a week via an artificial vagina, diluted in egg yolk-citrate and maintained at $+7^{\circ}C$ for three days. It was evaluated for sperm motility, viability, morphology immediately after collection and was examined daily for sperm motility, viability and morphology of acrosome, mid piece and tail for a total of three days. A total of 2016 cows were inseminated by two AI technicians. The proportions of sperm with normal heads were 83.4% (63.7~91.7%), the proportion of spermatozoa exhibiting normal morphology (acrosome, mid piece and tail), motility and viability were 89.2% (82.3~92.0%), 71.3% (61.7~75.0%) and 76.7% (65.7~85.0%), respectively in fresh ejaculates. Sperm motility and sperm viability was significantly ($p$ <0.05) lower in Holstein-Friesian ${\times}$ Local bull than in other bulls during all three days of storage. The overall NRR for four bulls was 82.7% (72.9-87.5%). Bulls with higher sperm motility, viability and normal morphology of spermatozoa of individual bull had significantly (each $p$ <0.05) higher NRR. The highest ($p$ <0.01) NRR (87.5%) was observed in a Red Chittagong bull whose semen qualities were significantly ($p$ <0.05) higher than Holstein-Friesian ${\times}$ Local bull (NNR 72.9%). The results of the present study concluded that NRR at 56 days post AI is related to parameters of semen quality. Therefore, semen evaluation may allow the discarding of bulls with poor fertility in an AI program.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2022

In 1951, Colin Russell Austin and Min Chueh Chang identified "capacitation", a special process involving ejaculated spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract. Capacitation is a phenomenon that occurs in vivo, but almost all knowledge of capacitation has been obtained from in vitro studies. Therefore, numerous trials have been performed to establish in vitro capacitation methods for various studies on reproduction. Although a series of studies have been conducted to develop an optimal protocol for inducing capacitation, most have focused on identifying the appropriate chemical compounds to induce the capacitation of boar spermatozoa in vitro. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the optimal incubation time for inducing capacitation in vitro. Duroc semen was incubated for various periods (60, 90, and 120 min) to induce capacitation. Sperm function (sperm motility, motion kinematic parameters, and capacitation status) was evaluated. The results showed that total sperm motility, rapid sperm motility, progressive sperm motility, curvilinear velocity, and average path velocity significantly decreased in a time-dependent manner. However, the capacitation status did not show any significant changes. Taken together, these results indicate that an incubation time of more than 60 min suppresses sperm motility and motion kinematic parameters. Therefore, we suggest that 60 min may be the best incubation time to induce capacitation without negative effects on sperm motility and motion kinematics in boar spermatozoa in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.109-120
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• 1986

This study was conducted to define the effect of addition of lysolecithin (LC) and 20% v/v rabbit serum to sperm preincubation medium on the induction of acrosome reaction (AR) an fertilizing ability in vitro of LG-added sperm. Ejaculated rabbit sperm from New Zealand White buck was washed once by centrifugation, then preincubated for 2 or 4 hrs in a chemically defined medium (DM), DM plus 20% rabbit serum or BSA-free DM plus 20% rabbit serum at 37$^{\circ}C$ water bath or CO2 incubator. At the end of preincubation LC was added to the preincubated sperm, which was stained at 0.5 to 4 hr later and examined for AR and sperm motility. For in vitro fertilization, gametes were coincubated in DM up to 24 hrs and thereafter fertilized embryos were incubated in BSM -II up to 48 hrs. Addition of LC to 4-hr preincubated sperm was more effective for the AR and sperm motility than that to 2-hr preincubated sperm and optimal concentration of LC for AR was about 80${\mu}$g/ml. A significant increase in AR occured from 20 to 30 min. after addition of 80 to 100${\mu}$g/ml in 4-hr preincubated sperm. BSA-free DM plus 20% rabbit serum showed a higher AR and sperm motility than those of DM plus 20% rabbit serum in LC-added sperm after 4-hr preincubation. The incidence of AR after 4-hr preincubation and at 30 min after 60${\mu}$g/ml LC addition varied greatly among individual bucks. Sixty ${\mu}$g/ml LC-added sperm showed a slight high cleavage rate over control levels, but 100${\mu}$g/ml LC-added sperm showed lower cleavage rate rather than 60${\mu}$g/ml LC. It is concluded that optimal concentration of LC for high AR induction and sperm motility in 4-hr preincubated sperm was about 80${\mu}$g/ml, but 60${\mu}$g/ml level was more useful for in vitro fertilization.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.943-947
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to see if fairly simple magnetic nano-particle treatment enhances boar semen qualities. Boar semen samples were prepared from the swine AI center and samples were divided by 4 different motility groups (1, >90%; 2. 80~90%; 3. 70~80%; 4. <70%) using computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) evaluation. Boar semen was extended using BTS extender and same number of magnetic nano-particles as total number of spermatozoa in each sample was treated for 20 min and collected for 5 min at room temperature. Sperm qualities such as motility and viability were evaluated by the CASA before and after treatment. Sperm abnormality and degree of agglutination were also evaluated under the microscopic examination before and after treatment. There were significant changes (p<0.05) on sperm motility from all 4 different groups in the average of 7.11% after treatment. The enhancement of sperm motility changes was more clear in the groups of lower sperm motile groups (<70% and 70~80%; 19.12±1.08% and 5.67±0.71%, p<0.05). The sperm motility character in terms of curvilinear velocity (VCL), straight line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP) and linearity (LIN, %) showed also similar pattern but motility enhancement wear more clear in below 70% motile group. Average sperm viability was increased to 4% by magnetic nano-particles (p<0.05). The percentage of sperm abnormality was also reduced significantly (p<0.05) to the range of 3.7~4.5% before after treatment. The degree of sperm agglutination was also reduced in lower motility groups by the magnetic nano-particle purification.