In vitro Kinematics Semen Tolerance to Oxidative Stress

Abstract

Interpretation of semen kinematic parameters remain as a point of discussion in predicting semen quality following processes like cryopreservation. During cryopreservation, oxidative stress remains a challenge in promoting post-thaw semen quality. Comparison of livestock semen exposed to oxidative stress, in vitro, highlight various aspects of sperm cell movement, like kinematics, to predict their qualities. Sperm cell kinematics includes the measurement of the distance between each head point for a given sperm cell during the acquisition period. Regrettably, the semen kinematic parameters are often reported with the limited interpretation. The apparent difficulty in interpreting these kinematic parameters can be interpreted clearly by looking at semen kinematics from various livestock species under similar conditions. Induced oxidative stressed conditions in cockerel, buck and boar semen present such an opportunity to investigate and interpret the significance of semen kinematic parameters and also check if any of the investigated livestock species can be used to set a threshold for semen quality. In this study, we are demonstrating that cockerel, buck and boar semen under induced oxidative stress present an opportunity to interpret the kinematic parameters associated with their semen quality. Such kinematic include curvilinear velocity, straight line velocity, average path velocities, linearity, straightness and wobble. All these kinematic parameters are readily available following computer aided sperm analyzer semen analysis. Three species, namely, buck boar and cockerel semen were collected. The semen was then exposed to oxidative stress inducing agent, hydrogen peroxide, for 3 h. The semen kinetic parameters were then compared. Our data seem to indicate that buck semen kinematics could be used as predictors of livestock semen quality under oxidative stress, at least for livestock species investigated.