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Decrease of fertilizing ability of mouse spermatozoa after freezing and thawing is related to cellular injury

Hirofumi Nishizono1, Masaki Shioda, Toru Takeo

  • 1Kyudo Company Limited, Kumamoto 861-0104, Japan.

Biology of Reproduction
|May 21, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Cryopreserved mouse sperm have reduced fertilizing ability, especially C57BL/6 strain. This study links increased sperm damage to lower fertilization rates in cryopreserved mouse sperm.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Cryobiology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cryopreservation of mouse spermatozoa is crucial for transgenic mouse production.
  • C57BL/6 strain spermatozoa exhibit particularly low fertilizing ability after cryopreservation.
  • Understanding sperm damage is key to improving cryopreservation outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between cell damage and fertilizing ability in cryopreserved mouse spermatozoa.
  • To identify specific sites of damage in cryopreserved mouse sperm.
  • To provide insights for enhancing sperm cryopreservation protocols.

Main Methods:

  • Sperm motility analysis post-thawing.
  • In vitro fertilization (IVF) assays.
  • Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for ultrastructural analysis.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in sperm motility were observed among C57BL/6J, BALB/cA, and DBA/2N strains after thawing.
  • A strong negative correlation was found between the frequency of aberrant spermatozoa (FAS) and fertilization rates (FR).
  • Spermatozoal damage was predominantly localized to the acrosome and mitochondria.

Conclusions:

  • Sperm motility alone does not accurately predict fertilizing ability in cryopreserved mouse sperm.
  • Ultrastructural damage, particularly to the acrosome and mitochondria, significantly impairs the fertilizing capacity of cryopreserved mouse spermatozoa.
  • Targeting acrosomal and mitochondrial integrity may improve cryopreservation protocols for mouse sperm.

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