Osmotic characteristics and fertility of murine spermatozoa collected in different solutions

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Date
2009-02Author
Benson, James D.
Wei, Si
Men, Hongsheng
Critser, John K.
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Show full item recordAbstract
Osmotic stress is an important factor that can result in cell damage during cryopreservation. Before ejaculation or collection for
cryopreservation, murine spermatozoa are stored in epididymal fluid, a physiologically hyperosmotic environment (w415 mmol/kg).
The objectives of this study were to determine the osmotic tolerance limits of sperm motion parameters of ICR and C57BL/6 mouse
spermatozoa collected in isosmotic (290 mmol/kg) and hyperosmotic (415 mmol/kg) media, and the effect of the osmolality of sperm
collection media on sperm fertility after cryopreservation. Our results indicate that murine spermatozoa collected in media with different
osmolalities (290 and 415 mmol/kg Dulbecco’s phosphate buffered saline (DPBS)) appeared to have different osmotic tolerances for the
maintenance of sperm motility and other motion parameters in both mouse strains. The hypo- and hyperosmotic treatments decreased
motility and affected other motion parameters of spermatozoa collected in 290 mmol/kg DPBS. The extent of the change of motion
parameters after treatments corresponded with the levels of osmotic stress. However, for spermatozoa collected in 415 mmol/kg DPBS,
exposure to 290 mmol/kg DPBS tended to increase sperm motility and the quality of their motion parameters. The osmolality of sperm
collection medium can affect murine sperm fertility. Spermatozoa collected in 415 mmol/kg medium showed higher fertility compared
with spermatozoa collected in 290 mmol/kg as assessed by IVF. Results characterizing murine sperm osmotic tolerance collected in
media with different osmolalities from different strains and the effect of collection media osmolality on sperm fertility after
cryopreservation will be useful in designing cryopreservation protocols.