Characteristics and in vitro fertilizing ability of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) frozen-thawed epididymal spermatozoa obtained 4 hours postmortem A case report
When Chu-Lin, a male giant panda (studbook #249), died at Madrid Zoo, his reproductive tract was removed 4 hr postmortem and the epididymal spermatozoa were collected. Extended sperm were kept at 5°C for 4 hr, loaded into straws, and frozen for 7 min in liquid nitrogen vapor before the straws were plunged into liquid nitrogen. Two straws were thawed and evaluated. Sperm motility was assessed in fresh, refrigerated, and thawed spermatozoa (75%, 60%, 35%, respectively). Sperm viability and acrosome status were estimated using a triple-stain technique (TST). The results showed 33% live sperm with intact acrosomes after thawing. A hypoosmotic swelling (HOS) test demonstrated the retention of membrane integrity in 72% of thawed sperm. To evaluate the in vitro fertilizing ability of thawed sperm, a sperm penetration assay (SPA) was performed. The values obtained for the percentage of penetration and the penetration index were 62% and 1.78 sperm/oocyte, respectively. The results obtained demonstrate that epididymal sperm recovered from a giant panda postmortem can be successfully cryopreserved. The sperm fertilizing ability demonstrated in vitro after thawing may provide a final opportunity for this male to contribute to the currently small germplasm reserves of this endangered species, and to reproduce in the future through assisted reproductive technology. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | journal article biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
2004
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12792/3453 |
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