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Factors affecting the activation, motility and cryopreservation of the spermatozoa of the yellowfin bream, Acanthopagrus australis (Günther) |
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| Authors: | J THOROGOOD A BLACKSHAW |
| Institution: | Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia |
| Abstract: | Abstract. The effects of varying temperature, salinity and pH on the activation and subsequent motility of sperm of the yellowfin bream, Acanthopagrus australis (Günther), were assessed using a linear scale based on the overall activity of the sperm over time. Motility half-life was calculated using log transformation. Conditions reflecting the natural habitat of the fish, oceanic salinity (1200 mOsM) and slight alkalinity (pH 8-8-5), were shown to produce both maximum activation and subsequent motility duration. The half-life of activated sperm was shown to be greater at 4°C than at 20-23°C (5·13 min:22·8 min). Storage of freshly stripped semen was shown to be most successful at 4°C with a half-life of 98·9 min. The cryopreservation of semen was tested using the cryoprotectants glycerol and dimethyl sulphoxide at concentrations ranging from 0·5M to 2·0M, and pre-freezing equilibration times of 5 and 15 min. Glycerol at 20 M was shown to give significantly superior results. There was no significant difference between sperm activation or sperm half-life for fresh-stripped semen and frozen semen, using glycerol at 2·0M as the cryoprotectant. |
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