Capacitation in vitro of stallion spermatozoa: comparison of progesterone-induced acrosome reactions in fertile and subfertile males.
Abstract: Mammalian sperm that have completed capacitation are capable of undergoing the acrosome reaction in response to a number of biological and chemical stimuli. In the present report, we have investigated the ability of progesterone to stimulate acrosome reactions of stallion sperm capacitated in vitro. Motile sperm were selected by a two-layer Percoll gradient centrifugation and were incubated in TALP medium modified by the 1:1 (v/v) addition of TEST-yolk medium for 5 hours at 39 degrees C, under 5% CO2 in humidified air. Sperm incubated in vitro in TALP-TEST medium had a higher percentage of acrosome reactions following the addition of progesterone (3.18 mumol/L) compared to controls (P < 0.05). Furthermore, sperm from stallions classified as fertile on the basis of breeding history had higher percentages of progesterone-induced acrosome reactions in comparison with stallions classified as subfertile (P < 0.05). Acrosome reactions were assessed routinely by fluoresceinated lectin binding, but the physiological appearance of induced acrosome reactions was confirmed at the ultrastructural level by transmission electron microscopy. We conclude that 1) TALP-TEST medium supports stallion sperm capacitation in vitro, 2) progesterone-induced acrosome reactions are physiological, and 3) sperm from fertile stallions may be more responsive to progesterone-induced acrosome reactions than those of subfertile stallions. This is the first report in a nonhuman species that differences exist between the sperm of fertile and subfertile males in the ability to capacitate and acrosome react in vitro.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Publication Date: 1995-01-01 PubMed ID: 7768752
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates the ability of the progesterone chemical to stimulate acrosome reactions in horse sperm cells. It draws comparisons between the responsiveness of sperm cells from fertile and subfertile horses, revealing that sperm cells from more fertile horses show a higher rate of reactions to progesterone.
Research Methodology
- The researchers used motile sperm obtained by a method called two-layer Percoll gradient centrifugation.
- The sperm were then incubated in a mixture of a medium called TALP and TEST-yolk medium. This mixture was maintained at a temperature of 39 degrees Celsius, under a 5% CO2 environment in humidified air, for a duration of 5 hours.
Research Findings
- The sperm incubated in the TALP-TEST medium showed a considerable increase in acrosome reactions after the addition of progesterone compared to controls (sperm not incubated in the TALP-TEST medium).
- Sperm from horses classified as fertile (based on their breeding history) showed a higher percentage of progesterone-induced acrosome reactions than those classified as subfertile. These reactions were confirmed using fluoresceinated lectin binding and transmission electron microscopy, which provided an in-depth, close-up view of the reactions at the ultrastructural (extremely small) level.
Conclusions Drawn
- The TALP-TEST medium supports the capacitation process, the final maturation step and a vital stage that prepares sperm for fertilization, of horse sperm cells in an artificial or lab environment (in vitro).
- The reactions induced by progesterone are physiological, meaning they are consistent with normal sperm cell function.
- Sperm from fertile horses are seemingly more responsive to progesterone-induced acrosome reactions than those from subfertile ones.
- This research is the first of its kind to report such differences in the capacitation and acrosome reaction abilities of sperm cells from fertile and subfertile males in a non-human species.
Cite This Article
APA
Meyers SA, Overstreet JW, Liu IK, Drobnis EZ.
(1995).
Capacitation in vitro of stallion spermatozoa: comparison of progesterone-induced acrosome reactions in fertile and subfertile males.
J Androl, 16(1), 47-54.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Acrosome / drug effects
- Acrosome / physiology
- Animals
- Cells, Cultured
- Fertility
- Horse Diseases / physiopathology
- Horses
- Infertility, Male / physiopathology
- Infertility, Male / veterinary
- Male
- Microscopy, Electron
- Progesterone / pharmacology
- Sperm Capacitation
- Sperm Motility
- Spermatozoa / physiology
- Spermatozoa / ultrastructure
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Orsolini MF, Meyers SA, Dini P. An Update on Semen Physiology, Technologies, and Selection Techniques for the Advancement of In Vitro Equine Embryo Production: Section I.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 13;11(11).
- Prapaiwan N, Tharasanit T, Punjachaipornpol S, Yamtang D, Roongsitthichai A, Moonarmart W, Kaeoket K, Manee-In S. Low-density Lipoprotein Improves Motility and Plasma Membrane Integrity of Cryopreserved Canine Epididymal Spermatozoa.. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci 2016 May;29(5):646-51.
- Jin M, Fujiwara E, Kakiuchi Y, Okabe M, Satouh Y, Baba SA, Chiba K, Hirohashi N. Most fertilizing mouse spermatozoa begin their acrosome reaction before contact with the zona pellucida during in vitro fertilization.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011 Mar 22;108(12):4892-6.
- Katila T. In vitro evaluation of frozen-thawed stallion semen: a review.. Acta Vet Scand 2001;42(2):199-217.
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