Biological Features of the Avian Male Gamete and their Application to Biotechnology of Conservation

Abstract

Male gamete biology shows specific features in birds that contribute to the reproductive strategy of flying animals adapted to highly variable environmental conditions. In this paper, we review the main characteristics of bird sperm, their selection and storage in the highly specialized female oviduct, specific features of polyspermic fertilization, and the consequences of these biological adaptations on semen biotechnology. Among other features, the storage of sperm in specific oviducal glands is a key factor to increase reproductive "freedom" but is also a critical point for the success of semen in vitro storage.

Conservation of Avian Genetic Resources

“…Polge (1951), therefore, dialyzed chicken semen to reduce the glycerol concentration, and 35 live chicks were successfully produced. Since then, a number of studies of freezing of chicken semen using glycerol as a cryoprotective agent have been conducted (For review, see Donoghue and Wishart, 2000;Long, 2006;Blesbois, 2007Blesbois, , 2012.…”

Intact Cell MALDI-TOF MS on Sperm: A Molecular Test For Male Fertility Diagnosis

“…Plus, the commercial breeds used for meat or egg production are genetically uniform but their genetic background differs between the two production types. Using chicken as an experimental model for male fertility has the added advantage of the direct application of results in order to help developing reproduction strategies for poultry breeders and to better characterize semen for bird genetic biodiversity preservation programs (24). Our previous results indicated that sperm cells ICM-MS profiling coupled with top-down HRMS could be employed as a fertility screening tool.…”

Effects of Fluid Secreted from the Uterus on Duration of Fertile Egg Production in Hens, and Survivability and Penetrability of Fowl Sperm <i>in vitro</i>

“…In fowl, studies have demonstrated that the sperm gradually acquire the capacity for survival and fertilization in the male reproductive tract during their passage from the testis to the distal vas deferens (Ahammad et al, 2011a(Ahammad et al, , 2011b, whereas the oviduct provides an environment suitable for the resident sperm to retain their survival and fertility potential over an extended period (Yoshimura et al, 1997;Bré que et al, 2003;Bakst, 2011;Blesbois, 2012). In the oviduct, the SST that are typically located at the junction between the uterus and vagina, referred to as UVJ-SST, are the primary sites for sperm residence, and store the sperm more efficiently than the SST located in the infundibulum (Brillard, 1993;Bakst et al, 1994).…”