Morphology and morphometry of sperm in Kurdish stallions, a local breed from western Iran.
Abstract: The present work was designed for a thorough investigation into the sperm morphology and morphometry of Kurdish stallions. The semen samples were collected from 10 Kurdish stallions. Three preparations from each ejaculate were stained with eosin-nigrosin (EN), Diff-Quik (DQ) and Rose Bengal (RB). The area, perimeter, length and width of the sperm head as well as tail length and total sperm length were measured. The parameters ellipticity, elongation, roughness and regularity were calculated. The morphology of sperm was also investigated under scanning and transmission electron microscopes. DQ and RB provided more clarified images for examining sperm structures compared to the EN method. The head length, head width, area and perimeter in EN were significantly higher than those in DQ and RB (p ≤ .05). Furthermore, the difference in head width, head area and head perimeter between DQ and RB was not significant (p ≥ .05). The tail length and total sperm length in all methods were close together (p ≥ .05). The highest percentage of normal sperm was seen in DQ and RB methods (82.55 ± 2.88 and 88.31 ± 5.19) respectively. The highest values for ellipticity, elongation and regularity were found in RB, whereas the highest value for roughness was measured in EN. Tail defects including coiled tails, and folded midpieces were the most frequent. Scanning electron microscope revealed two types of head shapes: heads with round anterior border, and heads with flat anterior border. The results indicated that despite the routine use of EN for morphological assessment of stallion sperm, RB and DQ can be considered for more clarified details of sperm structure including acrosome and midpiece. Furthermore, the Kurdish stallion sperm has morphometric traits in the normal range established for stallions; yet, some traits were larger than those reported for other breeds. It seems that the sperm of the Kurdish stallion has a longer head and tail in comparison with other horse breeds.
© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Publication Date: 2024-01-25 PubMed ID: 38268217DOI: 10.1111/rda.14534Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article investigates the characteristics of sperm in Kurdish stallions, highlighting the morphology and size of the sperm, as well as various other parameters such as ellipticity, elongation, and roughness. It found that Kurdish stallion sperm has traits generally within the normal range for stallions but also some aspects that larger than those reported for other breeds, like longer heads and tails.
Morphology and Morphometry Analysis
In the main body of their research, the authors analysed the morphology and morphometry (the measurement of form) of the sperm.
- First, Semen samples were collected from 10 Kurdish stallions and each sample was prepared using three different staining methods: eosin-nigrosin (EN), Diff-Quik (DQ), and Rose Bengal (RB).
- The researchers then measured various aspects of the sperm, including the area, perimeter, length, and width of the sperm head, as well as the tail length and total sperm length.
- Then, the parameters ellipticity, elongation, roughness, and regularity in the sperm were calculated. These parameters provide detailed information on the shape, structure, and surface composition of the sperm.
Comparison of Staining Methods
The researchers found that:
- The DQ and RB staining methods provided clearer images for examining the sperm structures when compared with the EN method.
- The measurements related to the sperm head done in EN were found to be significantly higher than those done in DQ and RB.
- However, the tail length and total sperm length were found to be similar across all methods.
Defects and Shapes
The researchers also discovered:
- That the most common defects found were coiled tails and folded midpieces.
- From the analysis under scanning electron microscopes, two types of head shapes were revealed: heads with a round anterior border and heads with a flat anterior border.
Implications and Conclusion
From their analyses, the researchers concluded:
- Despite the routine use of EN for morphological assessment of stallion sperm, RB and DQ could provide a clearer view of sperm structure, particularly the acrosome and midpiece parts.
- Kurdish stallion sperm has morphometric traits within the established normal range for stallions, but some traits were larger than those reported for other breeds, particularly the head and tail lengths.
Cite This Article
APA
Nooroozian A, Goodarzi N, Tafti RD.
(2024).
Morphology and morphometry of sperm in Kurdish stallions, a local breed from western Iran.
Reprod Domest Anim, 59(1), e14534.
https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.14534 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
- Department of Basic Sciences and Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.
MeSH Terms
- Male
- Horses
- Animals
- Iran
- Semen
- Spermatozoa
- Acrosome
- Sperm Head
- Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
- Rose Bengal
- Aniline Compounds
- Azure Stains
- Methylene Blue
- Xanthenes
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