In vitro Capacitation and Acrosome Reaction of Dog Spermatozoa can be Feasibly Attained in a Defined Medium Without Glucose

• Published in: Reproduction in domestic animals 2004-06, Vol.39 (3), p.129-135
• Main Authors: Albarracín, JL, Mogas, T, Palomo, MJ, Peña, A, Rigau, T, Rodríguez-Gil, JE
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acrosome Reaction - drug effects; Acrosome Reaction - physiology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Culture Media - pharmacology; Culture Techniques - veterinary; Dogs - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose - pharmacology; Male; Mammalian male genital system; Morphology. Physiology; Sperm Capacitation - drug effects; Sperm Capacitation - physiology; Spermatozoa - drug effects; Spermatozoa - physiology; Vertebrates: reproduction
• ISSN: 0936-6768; 1439-0531
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2004.00485.x

Contents Incubation of dog spermatozoa in a medium without glucose and in the presence of lactate and pyruvate (l‐CCM) for 4 h at 38.5°C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere induced in vitro capacitation of these cells. This was verified after the combined specific capacitation‐like changes in percentages of viability and altered acrosomes, motility characteristics, sperm location of reactivity against Pisum sativum, Arachis hypogaea and Helix pomatia lectins and the tyrosine phosphorylation pattern. Furthermore, a feasible acrosome reaction (AR) was induced when spermatozoa incubated in l‐CCM for 4 h were further co‐incubated for 1 h with canine oocytes. This was demonstrated by AR‐like changes in percentages of viability, altered acrosomes, motility characteristics and sperm location of reactivity against P. sativum, A. hypogaea and H. pomatia lectins. All these results clearly indicate that in vitro capacitation, and subsequent AR, can be feasibly achieved without the presence of sugars. This ability can be related to the specific characteristics of energy‐metabolism regulation reported in dog spermatozoa.