Theriogenology wild最新文献

{"title":"Cold dogs: Sperm freezing, artificial insemination & non-invasive monitoring tools to facilitate a hybrid conservation management approach for endangered African wild dogs","authors":"Damien Boyd Bertrand Paul Paris ,&nbsp;Pia Riddell ,&nbsp;Carolynne Joone ,&nbsp;Morné de la Rey ,&nbsp;Andre Ganswindt ,&nbsp;Monique Christina Johanna Paris","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100073","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100073","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Given the ongoing fragmentation and decline of suitable habitat coupled with recurring disease outbreaks and pack eradications, a major rethink is required to manage the long-term genetic diversity of the endangered African wild dog. Competing financial demands in developing countries mean that conservation strategies need to yield the biggest genetic gains for the smallest economic cost. As such, we propose the development of a hybrid conservation approach to the metapopulation management of African wild dogs, which augments assisted dispersal and natural breeding initiatives with genetic gains afforded by sperm banking and artificial insemination. We discuss how such an approach would address current challenges faced by the species in the context of its unique social biology and how this could integrate with existing conservation management interventions. Moreover, during a period spanning nearly 20 years, we have developed many of the supporting reproductive technologies required to maximise genetic diversity of African wild dogs, in addition to a suite of non-invasive management tools to quantify, monitor and manipulate behaviour, vocalisations, hormones for reproductive function and responses to stressors, as well as immune function to improve the social cohesion, health and reproduction of packs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100073"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000047/pdfft?md5=f8e155922e616043e1dd1f84bcf3e083&pid=1-s2.0-S2773093X24000047-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139540629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Semen collection and baseline semen characteristics of the king quail (Synoicus chinesis)","authors":"Isabella Wong ,&nbsp;Robert Doneley ,&nbsp;Stephen Johnston","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100117","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Assisted breeding technology has important management implications for avian conservation and aviculture but species-specific reproductive information is lacking. This study aimed to develop a successful semen collection for the king quail (<em>Synoicus chinesis</em>) in order to establish baseline seminal characteristics and to explore the effect of flock density on seminal quality. A total of 19 quail consisting of 2 groups of 5 and 4 and 1 group of 10 were housed in 3 separate aviaries located at the University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia during Spring. Morphometrics and morphology (normal and abnormal) of the sperm cells were also described by phase contrast and differential interference microscopy. Semen was sucessfully collected by cloacal massage from 90 % of attempts with only minor evidence of faecal or urate contamination. No significant differences in seminal characteristics were found with respect to bird housing density. Mean ± SEM seminal characteristics for 103 ejaculates included volume (1.6 ± 0.02 μL), sperm concentration (8.1 ± 0.5 × 10⁹ mL^–1), progressive sperm motility (50.0 ± 0.04 %), rate of sperm motility, (2.9 ± 0.13), pH (6.7 ± 0.2), the percentage of live sperm (88.0 ± 0.01 %) and the percentage of total abnormal sperm morphology (21.0 ± 0.03 %). Cloacal massage proved to be a highly successful technique to collect king quail semen and the seminal characteristics reported here are the future basis of assessing fertility and the application of assisted breeding in the species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100117"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142702053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epididymal sperm characteristics in Brown-throated Sloth (Bradypus variegatus Schinz, 1825)","authors":"Gustavo Oliveira Alves Pinto ,&nbsp;José Henrique Alves Nascimento e Silva ,&nbsp;Giovanna Isabella de Souza Couto ,&nbsp;Lucas Facundo Moura Tobal ,&nbsp;Fabricio Bezerra de Sá ,&nbsp;Gustavo Ferrer Carneiro ,&nbsp;Maria Madalena Pessoa Guerra ,&nbsp;Gilcifran Prestes de Andrade","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100113","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100113","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Three-toed sloths (<em>Bradypus variegatus</em>) are mammals belonging to the superorder Xenarthra and are commonly found in the tropical forests of Latin America. Few studies have investigated aspects related to the reproduction of these animals, and there is a lack of research on the characteristics of their spermatozoa. This study aimed to evaluate spermatozoa recovered from the epididymides of four animals that were euthanized at CETRAS-Tangara in Recife, Brazil. Gamete recovery was successful in only two individuals, leading to histological analyses of the gonads and epididymides. The absence of gametes, combined with histological findings and the topographical position of the gonads, confirmed that partial testicular descent is necessary for the initiation of spermatogenesis in this species. The recovered gametes exhibited low motility (18.8 %) and poor acrosomal integrity (8 %). Despite these results, this investigation provided initial insights into the spermatozoa of <em>B. variegatus</em>, which may contribute to future research aimed at studying and preserving <em>Bradypus</em> species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100113"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142434514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epididymal spermatozoa from domestic cats in assisted reproduction biotechniques: Perspectives for wild felid applications","authors":"Silmara Leticia Gonçalves Lima ,&nbsp;Danuza Leite Leão ,&nbsp;Adriana Novaes dos Reis ,&nbsp;Josye Bianca Santos ,&nbsp;Regiane Rodrigues dos Santos ,&nbsp;Sheyla Farhayldes Souza Domingues","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100116","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100116","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The domestic cat is an example of a species that thrives despite numerous threats faced by the Felidae family. This resilience has sparked significant scientific interest in the application of assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) developed for domestic cats in order to preserve the genetic diversity of wild felines. With the decline in genetic diversity and population numbers of wild cats, effective reproductive interventions are crucial. The recovery of spermatozoa from the epididymis is important for the application of ARTs because of their unique characteristics, including their ability to maintain viability for long periods under refrigeration, their potential for cryopreservation, and their usefulness in generating viable embryos through ARTs. Techniques such as compression, perforation, and cutting followed by floating are used to recover these spermatozoa, which facilitates their use <em>in vitro</em> fertilization and artificial insemination, while gamete cryopreservation has already been successfully implemented in domestic cats, offering a possible solution to ensure the future of wild cats. This review focuses on the unique characteristics of sperm recovered from the epididymal tail of cats, and aims to capitalize on the knowledge gained from studies on domestic cats to ensure the survival of endangered felines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100116"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142653257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sperm proteome and sperm parameters of captive Amazon squirrel monkeys (Saimiri collinsi Osgood, 1916) during the non-fatted and fatted condition","authors":"Danuza Leite Leão ,&nbsp;Sheyla Farhayldes Souza Domingues ,&nbsp;Wlaisa Vasconcelos Sampaio ,&nbsp;Patrícia da Cunha Sousa ,&nbsp;Fábio Roger Vasconcelos ,&nbsp;Arlindo Alencar Moura ,&nbsp;Regiane Rodrigues dos Santos ,&nbsp;Irma Caroline Oskam","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100092","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100092","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The aims of this work were (1) to characterize the proteome profile of <em>Saimiri collinsi</em> (Amazon squirrel monkey) sperm, and (2) to evaluate if there are meaningful differences in sperm quality and sperm protein landscape during the non-fatted and fatted conditions of the animals. Semen of adult males (n=4) was collected by electroejaculation and diluted in ACP-118® extender. Sperm concentration, motility, vigor, plasma membrane integrity and functionality, and sperm morphology were evaluated. Sperm proteome was characterized by mass spectrometry. The non-fatted and fatted conditions were defined according to the fattening index. There were increases in seminal volume, pH, and sperm motility of <em>S. collinisi</em> during the fatted in comparison with the non-fatted condition (p &lt; 0.05). Animals in the fatted condition had greater body mass (909 ± 23.98 g) in comparison with the non-fatted condition (818.8 ± 5.97 g, p = 0.0001). There were 1161 proteins identified in the sperm of the monkeys. Thirty-seven proteins were upregulated (p &lt; 0.05) in non-fatted condition (such as coiled-coil domain-containing protein 105, protein kinase C alpha type isoform X1, pyruvate dehydrogenase protein X component – mitochondrial and heat shock 70 kDa protein 1-like) and they were involved in cellular and metabolic processes, catalytic activity and binding. Twenty-eight sperm proteins proteins were upregulated (p &lt; 0.05) in fatted condition (such as Cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 2, mitochondrial; calcium-binding mitochondrial carrier protein SCaMC-1-like; heat shock 70 kDa protein 13, and izumo sperm-egg fusion protein 1), participating in cellular processes, metabolic processes, and localization, binding, catalytic activity, ATP-dependent activity, and transport activity. Functional annotations of sperm proteins upregulated in non-fatted condition were described as hydrogen ion transport, chaperone, cilium, flagellum, and cell projection. In in fatted conditions, such annotations were described as fertilization, spermatogenesis and transport, chaperone, and motor protein. The present study brings an unprecedent contribution to our understanding about the reproductive biology of adult <em>Saimiri collinsi.</em> It also provides support for conservation and development of assisted reproductive technologies for Neotropical primates.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100092"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000230/pdfft?md5=693e56b7b1710ae0c805288c4c0416cb&pid=1-s2.0-S2773093X24000230-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141274389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal reproduction of Megascops choliba males in Southeastern Brazil (Aves, Strigidae): An endocrine and molecular study","authors":"Heriberto Barbosa-Moyano ,&nbsp;Marcelo Demarchi Goissis ,&nbsp;Thais Rose dos Santos Hamilton ,&nbsp;Rogério Loesch Zacariotti ,&nbsp;Luís Fábio Silveira ,&nbsp;Claudio Alvarenga De Oliveira","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100077","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Reproductive activity in animals is regulated by variations in plasma levels of steroid hormones, which respond to both geophysical and social-environmental cues. Changes in testosterone (T) levels play a crucial role in coordinating the morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations among males, orchestrating gonadal recrudescence and regression in response to seasonal shifts in environmental factors. Although these reproductive neuroendocrine processes have been extensively examined in various bird species, they remain largely unexplored in owls. The Tropical Screech Owl is widely distributed across Central and South America, and it exhibits regional variations in the timing of chick hatching. This study hypothesized that male Tropical Screech Owls (<em>Megascops choliba</em>) exhibit fluctuations in testosterone levels and corresponding seasonal expression of reproductive genes, potentially linked to reproductive activity, including the presence of semen. To investigate this seasonal reproduction, a group of seven adult male owls was monitored for 14 consecutive months under <em>ex-situ</em> conditions. These owls underwent cloacal electrostimulation and subsequent massage to collect semen, as well as blood sampling to measure serum T levels. The expression of aromatase (CYP19A1), androgen receptor (AR), and estrogen receptor (ESR1 and ESR2) genes was also assessed in gonadal and hypothalamic tissues from four reproductively active and four non-reproductive males collected <em>in-situ</em> from a wild population. Serum T levels in males were significantly higher in July and August, coinciding with the presence of sperm. No significant difference was observed in the hypothalamic tissue transcripts of reproductive versus non-reproductive males. However, non-reproductive males exhibited higher expression of AR and ESR1 genes at the gonadal level. These results confirm the reproductive seasonality of <em>M. choliba</em> males during the winter season in São Paulo State.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100077"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000084/pdfft?md5=4fa047e0554a8bcee6762ea5c9bb9edf&pid=1-s2.0-S2773093X24000084-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140062613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Testosterone concentrations in juvenile male polar bears (Ursus maritimus)","authors":"Jessye Wojtusik ,&nbsp;Megan Philpott,&nbsp;Elizabeth Donelan,&nbsp;Monica A. Stoops ,&nbsp;Terri L. Roth,&nbsp;Erin Curry","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100104","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100104","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The <em>ex situ</em> polar bear population in the United States is not sustainable. Current management practices include pairing mates at five to six years of age, but there is evidence that wild bears have sired cubs as early as two years old. Timing acquisition of sexual maturity in male polar bears could aid in determining when mates should be paired in <em>ex situ</em> populations. To address this, non-invasive fecal testosterone metabolite monitoring was evaluated as a technique for establishing age of sexual maturity in 14 male polar bears (aged 1–6.9 years) for 1–6 years. Testosterone metabolite concentrations were monitored throughout the year and evaluated by breeding season (Jan. 1 – May 21) compared to non-breeding season (May 22 – Dec. 31). Sexual maturity was defined as when testosterone metabolite concentrations were significantly greater during breeding season than non-breeding season and bi-weekly averages were elevated above baseline for a minimum of ten weeks during breeding season mimicking patterns in adult male polar bears. Testosterone metabolite concentrations ranged from 5.9 to 8342 ng/g. One bear met the defined criteria at two years of age and an additional three bears met criteria at three years old. Due to the sampling strategy and the requirements set forth by the definition of sexual maturity, there were confounding results. In two cases, bears determined to be sexually mature the year prior, were not categorized as mature the next year. Another bear demonstrated greater testosterone metabolite values during the non-breeding season than breeding season. This study demonstrated the variability in fecal testosterone metabolites in juvenile polar bears and results suggest that hormone assessment alone is not adequate for determining sexual maturity in <em>ex situ</em> male polar bears. However, if used in tandem with behavioral monitoring and semen collection, when possible, could aid breeding management decisions for <em>ex situ</em> populations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100104"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000357/pdfft?md5=8078e1788c411343f425429b33e38d49&pid=1-s2.0-S2773093X24000357-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141541205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wild sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) exhibit aseasonality in parturition","authors":"Zachary A. David ,&nbsp;Brian Crudge ,&nbsp;Matt Hunt ,&nbsp;Kirsty Officer ,&nbsp;Vuthy Choun ,&nbsp;Barbara Durrant ,&nbsp;Megan A. Owen ,&nbsp;Morokot Long ,&nbsp;John P. Whiteman","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100101","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Seasonal reproduction can provide species with fitness advantages by allowing the birth of young to coincide with favorable environmental conditions, particularly in environments with high seasonal and intra-annual variation in these conditions. Seven of the eight species in the bear family (Ursidae) reproduce seasonally in both managed care and the wild; however, data for the eighth species, the sun bear (<em>Helarctos malayanus</em>), is unclear. Sun bears have been observed to reproduce throughout the year in managed care, yet currently there are no clear data of birth timing for wild sun bear cubs. Here we investigate the seasonality of parturition of wild sun bears by utilizing a dataset of body mass measurements from bears placed in the care of the wildlife conservation organization Free the Bears in Cambodia after interception by authorities for illegal removal from the wild. We selected body mass records for all rescued bears ≤5 kg, and modeled growth rates with linear regressions for cubs with &gt;3 measurements. Assuming a mass of 300 g at birth, these growth rates were used to estimate the birth date for each cub. Our results suggest that wild sun bears reproduce aseasonally in Cambodia, with estimated birth dates occurring in all 12 months of the year, and in all 4 of Cambodia’s distinct seasons.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100101"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000321/pdfft?md5=c96918a8b7ff0f8063816e2405127a9c&pid=1-s2.0-S2773093X24000321-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141596033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fetal morphology of the female urogenital apparatus in Dasyprocta fuliginosa","authors":"Elisa Carla Barra Freire ,&nbsp;Diego Ferreira de Sousa ,&nbsp;Érika Branco ,&nbsp;Elane Guerreiro Giese ,&nbsp;Frederico Ozanan Barros Monteiro ,&nbsp;Pedro Mayor ,&nbsp;Ana Rita de Lima","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100106","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100106","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Dasyprocta fuliginosa</em> had a gestational period of approximately 104 days, to date there are few descriptions of fetal development in this species. From animals collected through subsistence hunting in the Amazon, it was possible to follow the fetal development of the female urogenital apparatus of animals from 56 days until the end of gestation. The kidneys of younger fetuses showed discreet lobations, and from the 75th gestational day onwards they were defined as smooth unilobed organs. The glomerular composition of the cortical region of the youngest fetuses had morphological differences, with poorly developed and undifferentiated capillaries. This composition was transmuted around the 82nd gestational day. Throughout the fetal development process the ureters inserted dorsolaterally to the urinary bladder, communicating with the fetal umbilical funiculus through the urachus, and with the urethra. The same occurred with the reproductive system, which was composed of a double-type uterus, with two uterine horns, a septum and two individual cervical canals, in addition to two uterine tubes, two ovaries, a vagina with a semi-open vaginal membrane, and a vulva, which made up the external genitalia. This constitution reveals that <em>D. fuliginosa</em> during the fetal phase has a well-developed morphology of the reproductive and urinary systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100106"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000370/pdfft?md5=3a8d4c32b95ab895ae8121e25625e652&pid=1-s2.0-S2773093X24000370-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142021526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of microfluidic and density gradient techniques to select frozen-thawed epididymal sperm from Bighorn rams","authors":"Eduardo Arroyo ,&nbsp;Jesper Nielsen ,&nbsp;Jacob Møllenbach ,&nbsp;Ahmed Tibary","doi":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100108","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.therwi.2024.100108","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Gamete preservation of wild species is a priority in conservation programs. However, field techniques to recover sperm from deceased animals may impair its final quality.</p><p>The cryopreservation process also has its challenges, and the minimal required quality parameters may differ depending on the intended use of the semen.</p><p>Often, postmortem harvested and cryopreserved sperm may need to undergo a selection process to improve the final quality of the sample. Certain sperm selection techniques that employ centrifugal forces can increase the risk of damaging the cells. In contrast, microfluidics uses hydrostatic pressure and capillary forces, avoiding the need for costly equipment and minimizing cell damage.</p><p>This study aims to compare sperm motion parameters, morphology, and acrosome integrity of cryopreserved-thawed epididymal bighorn ram sperm using two commercial selection techniques, VetCount Harvester® device (MFD) and Bovipure™ (NidaCon International AB, Möndal, Sweden) density gradient centrifugation (DGC).</p><p>Sperm parameters associated with quality were, progressive motile sperms (PMS), straight velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), curvilinear velocity (VCL), linearity (LIN), straightness (STR), beat cross frequency (BCF), amplitude of lateral head deviation (ALH) and plasma membrane integrity (PMI). Computer Assisted Sperm Analyzer was used for the semen analysis. Eosin/nigrosine and Spermac stains were used to assess morphology and acrosome integrity, respectively. Two veterinarians counted the total number of morphologically normal sperm with complete acrosome.</p><p>Mean sperm concentration was higher (P &lt; 0.01) before filtration (129.56 ±53.9 ×10⁶/mL) than DCG (68.42 ±29.18 x10⁶/mL) and MFD (52.94 ±28.76 ×10⁶/mL). PMS was higher (P &lt;0.01) after selection using the DGC (79.70 ± 11.11) and MFD (81.23 ±5.64) compared to the no sperm-selected controls (45.36 ±14.67). Sperm kinetics parameters (VCL, VSL, VAP, BCF, LIN, and STR) were higher in the DGC (P&lt;0.01). However, ALH (P&lt;0.01) was significantly higher in the MFD and Control. Morphological normal sperm, acrosome integrity, and plasma membrane integrity were higher (P&lt;0.01) in samples processed with DGC and MFD.</p><p>In conclusion, microfluidics and single-layer centrifugation improved motion parameters, viability, and proportion of morphologically normal sperm with intact acrosomes from frozen-thawed sperm harvested from Bighorn epididymis. The VetCount Harvester® microfluidic device was comparable to DGC and could be an alternative option for sperm selection. Further research is needed to explore the effect of selected sperm using this technique on artificial insemination, re-cryopreservation, and fertility outcomes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":75220,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology wild","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100108"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773093X24000394/pdfft?md5=e665e6c94a64b9d934de3c8c73d3cf9f&pid=1-s2.0-S2773093X24000394-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142076935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}