Glycerol, methyl-formamide and dimethyl-formamide in canine semen cryopreservation

The aim of the present work was to compare the efficiency of methyl-formamide (MF), dimethyl-formamide (DF) and glycerol (GL) as cryoprotectants in canine semen cryopreservation. For the experiment, pooled semen was submitted to one of the three cryoprotectants, with a final concentration of 3% in egg yolk-TRIS extender. Semen was subjectively evaluated for total and progressive motility, vigour and morphology. Sperm membrane functional integrity was assessed by hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST), and longevity was assessed using the thermoresistance test (TRT). Fresh semen showed normal physical and morphological characteristics. After thawing, differences were observed between semen frozen using GL and DF, regarding total and progressive motility and vigour (p < 0.05), but not between MF and GL or MF and DF. Means for total motility, progressive motility, vigour and morphologically normal spermatozoa were, respectively, 69.0 +/- 5.4%, 61.0 +/- 7.4%, 2.9 +/- 0.5 and 57.1 +/- 5.0% for GL; 59.0 +/- 8.9%, 50.0 +/- 10.0%, 2.5 +/- 0.7 and 66.9 +/- 7.7% for MF; and 44.0 +/- 21.0%, 37.0 +/- 19.8%, 2.1 +/- 0.6 and 61.1 +/- 5.5% for DF. On HOST, GL was superior (p < 0.05) to MF and DF (57.8 +/- 12.4%, 35.8 +/- 18.4% and 34.4 +/- 9.4%, respectively). During the TRT, both GL and MF were superior to DF, with no differences between GL and MF. In conclusion, the use of MF as cryoprotectant showed results similar to GL, and can be considered as an alternative in canine semen cryopreservation. Further studies testing different concentrations of MF may improve its effects on cryopreservation of canine semen.