Boar sperm changes after sorting and encapsulation in barium alginate membranes

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Animal Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Routine use of boar-sexed semen is hindered by lengthy sorting times and sperm damage during sorting and cryopreservation.
• Developing methods to preserve the viability and function of sorted boar spermatozoa is crucial for artificial insemination efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of barium alginate encapsulation on the quality of sorted boar spermatozoa.
• To evaluate membrane integrity, viability, and specific sperm function markers (chlortetracycline staining, protein tyrosine phosphorylation, Hsp70 localization) during storage.

Main Methods:

• Boar spermatozoa were sorted for sex and either encapsulated in barium alginate or stored conventionally.
• Sperm quality parameters were assessed over 72 hours, including membrane integrity, chlortetracycline staining patterns, protein tyrosine phosphorylation, and Hsp70 immunolocalization.

Main Results:

• Encapsulation decreased membrane integrity in unsorted semen but did not negatively impact sorted encapsulated cells' viability or chlortetracycline patterns.
• Encapsulation reduced protein tyrosine phosphorylation in unsorted semen but not in sorted semen, and increased the protective Hsp70 'T' pattern in sorted semen.
• The sorting procedure induced more significant changes than encapsulation; combining both did not result in additive negative effects.

Conclusions:

• Barium alginate encapsulation has a limited damaging impact on boar spermatozoa compared to sorting.
• Encapsulation may offer a protective effect for sorted boar spermatozoa, counteracting some sorting-induced damage.
• This suggests encapsulation technology could be viable for storing sorted spermatozoa for controlled release in artificial insemination.