Sperm Motility, Oxidative Status, and Mitochondrial Activity: Exploring Correlation in Different Species

Area of Science:

• Reproductive biology
• Spermatozoa physiology
• Comparative analysis

Background:

• Sperm quality assessment is crucial for male fertility evaluation.
• Beyond concentration, motility, and morphology, other parameters offer insights into reproductive potential.
• Oxidative status and mitochondrial function are key factors in sperm viability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and correlate oxidative status, mitochondrial functionality, and motility in spermatozoa.
• To compare these parameters across two marine invertebrates (Ciona robusta, Mytilus galloprovincialis) and one mammal (Bos taurus).
• To investigate the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in sperm motility decline.

Main Methods:

• Utilized fluorescent staining and spectrofluorometry for analysis.
• Assessed intracellular ROS and plasma membrane LPO to determine oxidative status.
• Evaluated mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) for mitochondrial functionality.

Main Results:

• A negative correlation was observed between sperm motility and ROS/LPO levels in all three species.
• Sperm motility positively correlated with MMP in Bos taurus, but not in Ciona robusta or Mytilus galloprovincialis.
• MMP showed varied relationships with ROS and LPO across species, indicating different energetic metabolisms.

Conclusions:

• Reactive oxygen species (ROS) negatively impact sperm motility through oxidative damage to membrane lipids.
• Energy sources for sperm motility differ significantly between species.
• Fluorescent probes and spectrofluorometry offer a robust method for supplementary sperm quality evaluation.