Activity of Chinchilla laniger spermatozoa collected by electroejaculation and cryopreserved.

PONCE A.A,; CARRASCOSA R.E,; AIRES V.A,; FIOL DE CUNEO M,; RUIZ R.D,; PONZIO M.F.; LACUARA J.L.

THERIOGENOLOGY

Elsevier Science.

Lugar: Gainesville, Florida, USA.; Año: 1998 vol. 50 p. 1239 - 1249

0093-691X

Because reproductive studies and the application of assisted reproductive techniques are relevant issues for endangered species such as Chinchilla laniger, the availability of a source of viable spermatozoa becomes of utmost importance. In this paper, we evaluate several functional parameters (motility, viability, response to hipoosmotic swelling test and acrosomal integrity) of fresh or frozen-thawed spermatozoa. Electroejaculation trials (50 cyc/sec sinusoidal wave was applied for 5 of every 10 sec) were successful in all unanesthetized animals. After volume and concentration measurements, the above mentioned parameters were determined. In frozen-thawed semen samples sperm motility, viability, hypoosmotic sweelling test and acrosomal integrity were significantly lower than in fresh semen samples. The results clearly  indicated that electroejaculation is an useful method for evaluating spermatozoa for genetic analyses or for used in AI in this species. In addition, the cryopreservation procedure in this study preserved adequate levels of functional sperm activity.