Osmotic characteristics and fertility of murine spermatozoa collected in different solutions

Abstract

Osmotic stress is an important factor that can result in cell damage during cryopreservation. Before ejaculation or collection for cryopreservation, murine spermatozoa are stored in epididymal fluid, a physiologically hyperosmotic environment (w415 mmol/kg). The objectives of this study were to determine the osmotic tolerance limits of sperm motion parameters of ICR and C57BL/6 mouse spermatozoa collected in isosmotic (290 mmol/kg) and hyperosmotic (415 mmol/kg) media, and the effect of the osmolality of sperm collection media on sperm fertility after cryopreservation. Our results indicate that murine spermatozoa collected in media with different osmolalities (290 and 415 mmol/kg Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline (DPBS)) appeared to have different osmotic tolerances for the maintenance of sperm motility and other motion parameters in both mouse strains. The hypo-and hyperosmotic treatments decreased motility and affected other motion parameters of spermatozoa collected in 290 mmol/kg DPBS. The extent of the change of motion parameters after treatments corresponded with the levels of osmotic stress. However, for spermatozoa collected in 415 mmol/kg DPBS, exposure to 290 mmol/kg DPBS tended to increase sperm motility and the quality of their motion parameters. The osmolality of sperm collection medium can affect murine sperm fertility. Spermatozoa collected in 415 mmol/kg medium showed higher fertility compared with spermatozoa collected in 290 mmol/kg as assessed by IVF. Results characterizing murine sperm osmotic tolerance collected in media with different osmolalities from different strains and the effect of collection media osmolality on sperm fertility after cryopreservation will be useful in designing cryopreservation protocols.

The Membrane of the Mammalian Spermatozoa: Much More Than an Inert Envelope

“…Experiments in our laboratory (Garcia et al 2012) and others (Pommer et al 2002) have demonstrated that this osmotic roller coaster is more detrimental for stallion spermatozoa than continuous exposure to a given hyperosmolar solution. Similar results were found in other species such as rhesus monkey (Rutllant et al 2003), mouse (Si et al 2009) and bull sperm (Guthrie et al 2002), among others. Furthermore, the addition of permeating cryopretectans also creates an anisosmolar environment for the spermatozoa, causing the cells to shrink or swell.…”

“…Similar results were found in other species such as rhesus monkey (Rutllant et al. 2003), mouse (Si et al. 2009) and bull sperm (Guthrie et al.…”

Undiluted or extended storage of ram epididymal spermatozoa as alternatives to refrigerating the whole epididymes

“…Please cite this article in press as: Tamayo instance, Si et al (2009) obtained higher fertility when caused by hypo-osmotic stress when epididymal sperma-382 tozoa endure the freezing process.…”

Impact of the periconceptional environment on the programming of adult disease

“…Less attention has been focused on the environmental sensitivity of spermatogenesis, however, several studies have shown adverse effects of in vitro and in vivo environments on sperm motility, 51 , 52 DNA breakage 53 and apoptosis 54 . These changes have been further associated with alterations in DNA methyltransferase expression and transgenerational inheritance of altered phenotype 54 , 55 .…”