Inhibition of sperm motility does not affect live-dead separation of bull sperm by glass beads

This study was designed to explore factors which influence binding of dead versus live sperm to glass filters.

Multiple semen collections from bulls were used to explore selective filtration of bull sperm as influenced by nonlethal inhibition of sperm motility with fluoride, killing of sperm by quick-freezing, alteration of the glass surface with silicone, and different intervals of sexual rest between semen collections.

A comparison of glass spheres 100, 200 and 390 microm in diameter indicated that 200 microm spheres were optimal for selective filtration. Quantitative separation of live from dead sperm was demonstrated with a correlation between the percentage of motile sperm and retention of sperm by the filter of r = -0.87 (P < 0.05). Up to 0.02 mol/L NaFl did not alter the proportion of sperm retained by the filter despite inhibiting sperm motility during filtration, an inhibition which was reversible. Proportions of live-dead sperm, based upon eosin staining, were unaffected by fluoride. Coating the glass spheres with silicone greatly reduced selective filtration. Dead sperm adherence to glass was reduced and resistance to NaFl inhibition was increased by daily ejaculation versus one-week intervals of sexual rest.

These studies indicate that the adherence of sperm to glass is primarily due to some form of physico-chemical change accompanying death of the sperm cell independent of active sperm motility. This attraction between the sperm plasma membrane and glass is modified by the age of the ejaculated sperm. This information is useful in evaluating different clinical procedures used for sperm separation.