Desalted and lyophilized bovine seminal plasma delays induction of the acrosome reaction in frozen-thawed bovine spermatozoa in response to calcium ionophore.

Cryopreservation is partially damaging and induces capacitation-like changes in spermatozoa. Seminal plasma (SP) contains a variety of biochemical components, such as protein and lipids, which are specific for the regulation of sperm cell function including those effective for decapacitation of spermatozoa. Therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that desalted and lyophilized SP could prevent premature capacitation (cryocapacitation) of Japanese Black bull spermatozoa.

Methodological factors affecting the results of staining frozen-thawed fertile and subfertile Japanese Black bull spermatozoa for acrosomal status.

In the present study, some methodological factors affecting the acrosomal staining of frozen-thawed Japanese Black bull spermatozoa were investigated by examining; the effect of fixation/permeabilization procedure on intact acrosome percentage after fluorescein isothiocyanate peanut agglutinin (FITC-PNA) staining, the acrosomal staining patterns by using two types of fluorescent probes FITC-PSA (Pisum Sativum Agglutinin) and FITC-PNA and the effect of staining methods, either smear or vial, on intact acrosome percentage. Then intact acrosome percentage was compared between the samples stained by thus established method and those simply fixed with glutaraldehyde (glutaraldehyde fixation method). A possibility that FITC-PNA staining or the glutaraldehyde fixation methods could detect any difference in intact acrosome percentage or acrosomal staining patterns between fertile and subfertile bulls was also examined.