Relation between stallion sperm binding to homologous hemizonae and fertility.
Abstract: The hemizona assay (HZA) has been developed as a diagnostic test to predict the fertilisation potential of human spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to develop an HZA for stallion spermatozoa and to investigate a possible relationship between fertility and the outcome of the HZA in this species. Equine oocytes were obtained from ovaries collected at a slaughterhouse and by transvaginal, ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration. They were then denuded from cumulus cells and stored in salt solution at 4 degrees C until use. On the day of the experiments the oocytes were bisected, thus providing 2 equal matching hemizonae from each oocyte. Semen samples from Dutch Warmblood stallions with known fertility data were used to assess the number of spermatozoa bound to the outer side of the hemizona after incubation in vitro. Sperm binding to matching hemizonae of a particular stallion was similar and confirmed the feasibility of using the HZA for the horse. Sperm hemizona binding capacity of 10 pairs of stallions was compared by incubating 1 hemizona with the semen of a stallion and the matching hemizona with the semen of another stallion from the same stud farm. Five matching pairs of hemizonae were used for each pair of stallions. There was a significant relationship between the mean number of spermatozoa bound to matching hemizonae and the fertility indices of stallions from each stud farm (P < 0.0001). It is concluded that HZA can be used as a valuable parameter in stallion semen analysis.
Publication Date: 1995-10-01 PubMed ID: 16727772DOI: 10.1016/0093-691x(95)00254-6Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study focuses on the development and use of the Hemizona Assay (HZA) as a diagnostic test to predict fertility in stallion spermatozoa. Researchers found a significant connection between the number of spermatozoa bound to matching hemizonae and the fertility indices of stallions, suggesting that the HZA could be a valuable tool in stallion semen analysis.
Research Method and Materials Used
- Equine oocytes, or female germ cells involved in reproduction, were collected and stored for use. They were derived from two sources: collected directly from ovaries procured at a slaughterhouse and retrieved via transvaginal, ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration.
- The oocytes were stripped of their surrounding cumulus cells and kept in a salt solution at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius until the actual experiment.
- On the day of the experiments, these oocytes were halved, resulting in two identical hemizonae from each.
- Semen samples were sourced from Dutch Warmblood stallions with known fertility data. These were used to determine the number of sperm that could bind to the outer side of the hemizona after being incubated in vitro or within a controlled laboratory setting.
Findings and Analysis
- The sperm binding capacity to the hemizona of stallion sperm was found to be similar, marking the plausibility and effectiveness of using the HZA as a diagnostic tool for horse fertility.
- Comparisons were made between the sperm binding capacity of 10 pairs of stallions by incubating one hemizona with the semen of one stallion while the matching hemizona was incubated with the semen of another stallion from the same stud farm.
- There was a discovered substantial relationship between the average number of sperm bound to matching hemizonae and the fertility indices of stallions from each stud farm. This was statistically significant with a p-value of less than 0.0001, indicating a very low probability that these results were due to chance.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that the Hemizona Assay (HZA) can be an insightful and useful parameter in the analysis of stallion semen.
- By indicating the ability of stallion spermatozoa to bind to hemizonae, this tool has potential diagnostic implications for evaluating stallion fertility.
Cite This Article
APA
Fazeli AR, Steenweg W, Bevers MM, van den Broek J, Bracher V, Parlevliet J, Colenbrander B.
(1995).
Relation between stallion sperm binding to homologous hemizonae and fertility.
Theriogenology, 44(5), 751-760.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0093-691x(95)00254-6 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Herd Health and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. A.R.Fazeli@cc.ruu.nl
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Katila T. In vitro evaluation of frozen-thawed stallion semen: a review. Acta Vet Scand 2001;42(2):199-217.
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