New tools for in vitro handling and selection of cryopreserved sperm samples in equines

LAIZ-QUIROGA, LUCIA; VON MEYEREN, MICAELA; OSYCKA SALUT, CLAUDIA; MARTINEZ-LEON, EDUARDO; BARIANI, MARIA VICTORIA; GIMENO, BRENDA FLORENCIA; MUTTO, ADRIÁN

Mendoza

Jornada; IV REUNIÓN CONJUNTA DE SOCIEDADES DE BIOLOGÍA DE LA REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA; 2020

Cryopreserved sperm (SPZ) are used widely in domestic animals for assisted reproduction techniques (ART). However, cryopreservation procedures negatively affect SPZ quality, causing changes at the structural and molecular levels. Therefore, using cryopreserved SPZ for ART can decrease the efficiency of these techniques as well as the quality of the embryos obtained, being necessary to optimize the handling of this type of sample. Particularly in equines, ICSI is the most used technique for low-quality equine semen samples where SPZ is selected based on their motility and morphology. Physiologically, the oviduct epithelial cells (OEC) are involved in the selection of a population of SPZ suitable for oocyte fertilization, which is released from the oviduct due to the capacitation process. This work aimed to evaluate different conditions for the in vitro manipulation and incubation of equine cryopreserved SPZ and to establish an in vitro OEC culture to select an SPZ population with fertilizing capacity suitable for its use in ART in this species.Regarding the handling and the effect on the motility of post-thawed equine cryopreserved SPZ samples, we used non-capacitating Whitten´s medium, less effect on motility was observed through the time (120 min) when SPZ were incubated at concentrations of 30 mill/ml compared to lower concentrated samples (CASA, p