Effect of seminal plasma on motion characteristics of epididymal and ejaculated stallion spermatozoa during storage at 5 degrees C.

The study is about the impact of seminal plasma on the motion and vitality of both epididymal and ejaculated stallion sperm during storage at a cool 5 degrees Celsius.

Objective of the Study

The research aimed to understand how seminal plasma affects the movement and vitality of both epididymal and ejaculated horse sperm stored at a cool 5 degrees Celsius.

Methodology

• Stallion epididymal spermatozoa were washed with either seminal plasma or a skim milk-glucose extender.
• Ejaculated spermatozoa were collected with the extender added 10 minutes post-semen collection or during ejaculation, with the extender placed in the collection bottle.
• The semen samples were centrifuged and resuspended in a skim milk-glucose extender that contained seminal plasma prepared from pooled ejaculates from the semen donors.
• The research analyzed both the percentage of mobile spermatozoa and the average path velocity using computerized semen before and after centrifugation and after 24 and 48 hours of cool storage.

Findings of the Study

• The study discovered that the motility and velocity of epididymal samples washed with seminal plasma were significantly higher before and after centrifugation than those washed with the extender.
• However, the method of semen collection did not have any substantial effect on the motility of ejaculated spermatozoa prior to the centrifugation process.
• Adding the seminal extender during ejaculation had a beneficial impact on the percentage of mobile spermatozoa at the start and after 48 hours.
• There were notable differences between individual stallions, though the interaction of the stallion/ejaculate treatment was insignificant at the start, after 24 hours, and 48 hours.
• Spermatozoa motility during cool storage was significantly better maintained in samples containing 25% seminal plasma than in those containing none.
• Sperm motility during cool storage was affected if the spermatozoa were exposed to seminal plasma for only 10 minutes post-ejaculation.

Conclusion

The research shows that the presence of seminal plasma can affect the motion characteristics of both epididymal and ejaculated sperm under certain conditions. These findings can have implications for sperm storage and artificial insemination practices in equine industries.