Prove in vitro di adesione degli spermatozoi e il loro valore per stimare la fertilita\u300 negli animali da reddito

The classic procedure for evaluating the fertility from sires is to determine pregnancy data following artificial insemina- tion. This procedure is time consuming and expensive be- cause of the large number of young bulls entering the bree- ding program. Several studies have been done to find a sim- ple and reliable test for predicting fertility. The perfect test should take into account each and all sperm traits, determi- ning quantity and quality of fertile sperm in a single sperm sample. This review analyze the correlation between in vitro test and in vivo fertility with particular consideration to two tests used in vitro: the sperm zone pellucida binding test and the sperm oviductal cells adhesion test. The first results very useful for the evaluation of sperm destined to in vitro em- bryo production, but fails in predicting male fertility when mating or artificial insemination practices are used. The di- rect encounter between sperm and oocyte, without consider the natural physiological barriers that sperm must overpass into the female tract could be the main reason of failing. On the other hand, the sperm adhesion to the oviduct seems to be an in vivo requisite to fertilization. The oviduct is consi- dered to select the non capacitated - live - non damaged pla- sma membrane sperm that are considered as the fertilizing population. In this way the sperm - oviduct binding test has been developed. Several factors that could influence the test results such as the origin of the tissue used and the cell ex- plant size, are discussed. The available information about the use of this test is still short, however the test has a great po- tential for the sires sub-fertility evaluation, even though its accuracy should be limited to certain type of sperm samples

Characteristics of post-thawed ram epididymal spermatozoa

La criopreservaci\uf3n de los espermatozoides de epididimo es una t\ue9cnica que permite la conservaci\uf3n de la biodiversidad gen\ue9tica de las especies animales. En este experimento se estudiaron las caracter\uedsticas post-descongelamiento de los espermatozoides epididimales. Los test\uedculos de 10 carneros fueron recolectados de un matadero local y trasnportados al laboratorio donde se obtuvieron los espermatozoides epididimales. Estos fueron evaluados y luego diluidos en dos modos: TRIS o diluyente en base a leche; y finalmente congelado en nitr\uf3geno l\uedquido. Despu\ue9s del descongelamiento, los espermatozides se analizaron con el sistema CASA, adem\ue1s se evaluaron con CFDA-PI, CFDA-AN y HOS test. No se encontraron diferencias entre los dos diluyentes. Se observa correlaci\uf3n entre los par\ue1metros de motilidad y progresividad y los porcentajes de espermatozoides viables determinados con CFDA-PI. Las dificultad en la criopreservaci\uf3n de los espermatozoides de epididimos se podr\ueda explicar por la falta del efecto del plasma seminal sobre los espermatozoides, aunque las referencias bibliogr\ue1ficas sobre este asunto son contradictorias

Llama oviductal sperm reservoirs: involvement of bulbourethral glands

The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of llama seminal plasma in the formation of oviductal sperm reservoirs. Female llamas with follicles in the mature phase were mated with a bulbourethral glands-removed male. Females mated with nonbulbourethral glands-removed males were used as control. Oviducts were obtained by surgery 24 h after mating. The uterotubal junction and isthmus were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and mucopolysaccharides were identified by Alcian blue staining. To know the proteins probably involved in sperm reservoir formation, SDS-PAGE of seminal plasma (8% and 18% resolving gel) was made. Spermatozoa only adhered to the oviductal mucosa surface of uterotubal junction of females mated with nonbulbourethral glands-removed males confirming that seminal plasma and, in particular, bulbourethral secretions are related with the oviductal sperm reservoir formation. Histological sections showed sperm in the lumen, immersed in substance, positive for acid mucopolysaccharides. Alcian blue staining of seminal plasma proteins SDS-PAGE showed a band of high molecular weight containing mucopolysaccharides, only present in nonbulbourethral glands-removed males. Bulbourethral glands would secrete at least eight different proteins that most likely participate in the process of sperm storage in the oviduct.Fil: Apichela, Silvana Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biologicas; ArgentinaFil: Argañaraz, Martin Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biologicas; ArgentinaFil: Giuliano, S.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Investigacion y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal; ArgentinaFil: Zampini, Renato. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biologicas; ArgentinaFil: Carretero, Maria Ignacia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Investigacion y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Miragaya, M.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Investigacion y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal; ArgentinaFil: Miceli, Dora Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucuman. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biologicas; Argentin

Effect of mating on mRNA and protein expression of beta nerve growth factor and its receptor, TrKA, in the oviduct of llama ( Lama glama

Copulation produces different stimuli in the female reproductive tract in camelids, which lead to ovulation. Expression of β-nerve growth factor (β-NGF) and its specific receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrKA), was studied comparing the oviductal microenvironment of mated and nonmated llamas. β-NGF and TrKA were expressed in the llama ampulla, isthmus, and utero-tubal-junction (UTJ), and they were mainly colocalized in the apical region of the oviductal mucosa. A TrKA immunosignal was also found in muscle cells and blood vessels, with the highest mark in UTJ muscle cells of copulated females. Both β-NGF and TrKA transcripts were expressed in the three oviductal segments. Relative TrKA abundance did not differ between mated and nonmated females, but relative β-NGF abundance was higher in the UTJ of copulated females (p <.05). β-NGF might not be secreted into the oviductal fluid (OF) since the protein was not found in the OF of mated or nonmated females. Therefore, it can be concluded that the llama oviduct expresses the β-NGF/TrKA system and that an increase in β-NGF gene expression in the UTJ 24 h after copulation along with an increase in TrKA protein expression may indicate an important role in the gamete transport and fertilization process in llamas.Fil: Sari, Luciana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Zampini, Renato. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Argañaraz, Martin Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Ratto, Marcelo Hector. Universidad Austral de Chile; ChileFil: Apichela, Silvana Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; Argentin