Flying-fox (Pteropus spp.) sperm membrane fatty acid composition, its relationship to cold shock injury and implications for cryopreservation success

• Published in: Cryobiology 2012-12, Vol.65 (3), p.224-229
• Main Authors: Melville, D.F., Johnston, S.D., Miller, R.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acrosome; Acrosome - chemistry; Acrosome - metabolism; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Assisted reproductive technologies; Biological and medical sciences; Chiroptera; Chiroptera - metabolism; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - analysis; Cholesterol - metabolism; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Cryopreservation - methods; Cryopreservation - veterinary; Fatty Acids - analysis; Fatty Acids - metabolism; Freezing; Fruit bat; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Male; Membrane Lipids - analysis; Membrane Lipids - metabolism; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Phospholipid; Pteropus; Pteropus poliocephalus; Pteropus rodricensis; Semen Preservation - methods; Semen Preservation - veterinary; Spermatozoa - chemistry; Spermatozoa - metabolism; Sterols; Sterols - analysis; Sterols - metabolism
• ISSN: 0011-2240; 1090-2392
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2012.06.007

The very large acrosome of Pteropus species spermatozoa is prone to damage during cooling procedures. Cryogenic succuss has been linked to membrane composition, therefore the lipid composition of five Pteropus species sperm acrosomal and plasma membranes were investigated to provide insight into reasons for cold shock susceptibility. Rapid chilling and re-warming of spermatozoa from three Pteropus species resulted in a decrease (P