DNA fragmentation and sperm head morphometry in cat epididymal spermatozoa. 2014

Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie per la Salute, la Produzione Animale e la Sicurezza Alimentare, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano Italy.

Sperm DNA fragmentation is an important parameter to assess sperm quality and can be a putative fertility predictor. Because the sperm head consists almost entirely of DNA, subtle differences in sperm head morphometry might be related to DNA status. Several techniques are available to analyze sperm DNA fragmentation, but they are labor-intensive and require expensive instrumentations. Recently, a kit (Sperm-Halomax) based on the sperm chromatin dispersion test and developed for spermatozoa of different species, but not for cat spermatozoa, became commercially available. The first aim of the present study was to verify the suitability of Sperm-Halomax assay, specifically developed for canine semen, for the evaluation of DNA fragmentation of epididymal cat spermatozoa. For this purpose, DNA fragmentation indexes (DFIs) obtained with Sperm-Halomax and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling (TUNEL) were compared. The second aim was to investigate whether a correlation between DNA status, sperm head morphology, and morphometry assessed by computer-assisted semen analysis exists in cat epididymal spermatozoa. No differences were observed in DFIs obtained with Sperm-Halomax and TUNEL. This result indicates that Sperm-Halomax assay provides a reliable evaluation of DNA fragmentation of epididymal feline spermatozoa. The DFI seems to be independent from all the measured variables of sperm head morphology and morphometry. Thus, the evaluation of the DNA status of spermatozoa could effectively contribute to the completion of the standard analysis of fresh or frozen semen used in assisted reproductive technologies.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D002415 Cats The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801) Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D004822 Epididymis The convoluted cordlike structure attached to the posterior of the TESTIS. Epididymis consists of the head (caput), the body (corpus), and the tail (cauda). A network of ducts leaving the testis joins into a common epididymal tubule proper which provides the transport, storage, and maturation of SPERMATOZOA.
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012661 Semen The thick, yellowish-white, viscid fluid secretion of male reproductive organs discharged upon ejaculation. In addition to reproductive organ secretions, it contains SPERMATOZOA and their nutrient plasma. Seminal Plasma,Plasma, Seminal
D012662 Semen Preservation The process by which semen is kept viable outside of the organism from which it was derived (i.e., kept from decay by means of a chemical agent, cooling, or a fluid substitute that mimics the natural state within the organism). Frozen Semen,Sperm Preservation,Preservation, Semen,Preservation, Sperm,Semen, Frozen
D013094 Spermatozoa Mature male germ cells derived from SPERMATIDS. As spermatids move toward the lumen of the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES, they undergo extensive structural changes including the loss of cytoplasm, condensation of CHROMATIN into the SPERM HEAD, formation of the ACROSOME cap, the SPERM MIDPIECE and the SPERM TAIL that provides motility. Sperm,Spermatozoon,X-Bearing Sperm,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperm,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Sperm, X-Bearing,Sperm, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, X-Bearing,Sperms, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,X Bearing Sperm,X Chromosome Bearing Sperm,X-Bearing Sperms,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms,Y Bearing Sperm,Y Chromosome Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperms,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms
D053938 DNA Fragmentation Splitting the DNA into shorter pieces by endonucleolytic DNA CLEAVAGE at multiple sites. It includes the internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, which along with chromatin condensation, are considered to be the hallmarks of APOPTOSIS. DNA Degradation, Apoptotic,Apoptotic DNA Degradation,Fragmentation, DNA

Related Publications

Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
August 2016, Reproduction in domestic animals = Zuchthygiene,
Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
October 2018, The Journal of reproduction and development,
Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
June 2002, Human reproduction (Oxford, England),
Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
November 1995, Theriogenology,
Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
January 2016, Asian journal of andrology,
Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
April 1998, Theriogenology,
Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
June 2002, Molecular reproduction and development,
Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
June 2013, Andrologia,
Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
May 2015, Andrology,
Valentina Vernocchi, and Maria Giorgia Morselli, and Anna Lange Consiglio, and Massimo Faustini, and Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
September 2017, Translational andrology and urology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!