Sperm cell population dynamics in ram semen during the cryopreservation process

Abstract

Background: Sperm cryopreservation has become an indispensable tool in biology. Initially, studies were aimed towards the development of efficient freezing protocols in different species that would allow for an efficient storage of semen samples for long periods of time, ensuring its viability. Nowadays, it is widely known that an important individual component exists in the cryoresistance of semen, and efforts are aimed at identifying those sperm characteristics that may allow us to predict this cryoresistance. This knowledge would lead, ultimately, to the design of optimized freezing protocols for the sperm characteristics of each male.

Methodology/principal findings: We have evaluated the changes that occur in the sperm head dimensions throughout the cryopreservation process. We have found three different patterns of response, each of one related to a different sperm quality at thawing. We have been able to characterize males based on these patterns. For each male, its pattern remained constant among different ejaculates. This latter would imply that males always respond in the same way to freezing, giving even more importance to this sperm feature.

Conclusions/significance: Changes in the sperm head during cryopreservation process have resulted useful to identify the ability of semen of males for freezing. We suggest that analyses of these response patterns would represent an important tool to characterize the cryoresistance of males when implemented within breeding programs. We also propose follow-up experiments to examine the outcomes of the use of different freezing protocols depending on the pattern of response of males.

Figure 1. Patterns of response observed in the sperm population during the cryopreservation process.

Data plotted correspond to three males, each one showing a different response pattern. p2a: perimeter to area (Perimeter²/4·π·Area).