Effect of different protein supplements on motility and plasma membrane integrity of frozen-thawed stallion spermatozoa.

This research article involves the study of different macromolecule components (egg yolk, skim milk, and bovine serum albumin) used to extend the life of frozen horse semen. The results indicate that a combination of egg yolk and skim milk can enhance the quality of frozen-thawed horse spermatozoa.

Introduction and Objective

• The research focused on the effect of different macromolecule components – specifically egg yolk, skim milk, and BSA (bovine serum albumin), which are typically used in semen extenders to preserve the viability of the sperm cells during cryopreservation (freezing) process.
• The objective of the experiments was to observe changes in sperm motility (MOT) and the percentage of spermatozoa with an intact plasma membrane (IPM) after being frozen and then thawed. A higher percentage of MOT and IPM indicates better quality of the semen.

Method and Results

• Three experiments were conducted on the semen of stallions (male horses), with the first experiment consolidating findings derived from the samples from four Draft Horse stallions.
• The researchers initially used a standard freezing extender containing 20% whole egg yolk and replaced extender components with different volume of a skim milk diluent. The extended that contained 75% (v/v) skim milk solution provided the best results with MOT at 24.7% and IPM at 46.6%.
• In the second experiment, the researchers varied the amounts of egg yolk and added 5% BSA to the extender. It was found that neither the amount of egg yolk nor the addition of BSA significantly influenced the post-thaw results.
• The final experiment tested select extenders from the previous experiment. Consistent with the first, the 20% whole egg yolk and skim milk solution proved to provide the best results, with MOT at 41.7% and the IPM at 54.2%.

Conclusion

• The results of the study suggest that including several sources of macromolecules, like egg yolk and skim milk, can improve motility and plasma membrane integrity concerns in frozen-thawed horse spermatozoa, hence enhancing their viability and quality.