Fertilization characteristics and in vitro embryo production with bovine sperm containing multiple nuclear vacuoles

• Published in: Molecular reproduction and development 1998-07, Vol.50 (3), p.328-333
• Main Authors: Thundathil, J. (University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.), Palasz, A.T, Barth, A.D, Mapletoft, R.J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; bull spermatozoa; BULLS; Cattle; Cell Nucleus; CULTIVO DE EMBRIONES; CULTURE D'EMBRYON; DESARROLLO EMBRIONARIO; DEVELOPPEMENT EMBRYONNAIRE; diadem defect; DIADEM DEFECTS; DISORDERS; EMBRYO CULTURE; Embryonic and Fetal Development; EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT; ESPERMATOZOO; EXPERIMENTACION IN VITRO; EXPERIMENTATION IN VITRO; FECONDATION; FECUNDACION; Female; FERTILIDAD; FERTILITE; FERTILITY; FERTILIZATION; Fertilization in Vitro; FERTILIZING ABILITY; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; IN VITRO EXPERIMENTATION; IN VITRO FERTILIZATION; in vitro fertilization (IVF); Male; Mammalian reproduction. General aspects; NOYAU CELLULAIRE; NUCLEI; NUCLEO; NUCLEUS; OVA; OVULE; OVULO; sperm morphology; SPERM PENETRATION; Sperm-Ovum Interactions - physiology; SPERMATOZOA; Spermatozoa - physiology; SPERMATOZOIDE; TAUREAU; TORO; TRASTORNOS; TROUBLE; VACUOLA; VACUOLATED SPERM; VACUOLE; VACUOLES; Vertebrates: reproduction; ZONA BINDING; ZONA PELLUCIDA; Zona Pellucida - metabolism
• ISSN: 1040-452X; 1098-2795
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2795(199807)50:3<328::AID-MRD9>3.0.CO;2-L

An in vitro fertilization and culture system was used to determine the effect of multiple nuclear vacuoles in bovine spermatozoa on fertilization and early embryonic development. After swim‐up, semen parameters were similar between 2 bulls except that 60% of spermatozoa from bull A contained multiple nuclear vacuoles, whereas no spermatozoa from bull B (control) contained vacuoles. In Experiment 1, in vitro–matured (IVM) oocytes were inseminated with frozen‐thawed semen from the 2 bulls to determine the ability of vacuolated sperm to bind with the zona pellucida. The mean number of spermatozoa bound to the zona pellucida was less (P< 0.05) for bull A (85.7 ± 5.7; n = 112) than for bull B (108.9 ± 5.4; n = 130). In Experiment 2, the percentages of zonae penetrated by spermatozoa from bull A (151 of 201; 75%) and bull B (116 of 150; 77%) were not different. However, the percentages of vacuolated spermatozoa from bull A bound to (43%) and penetrating the zona pellucida (34%) were lower than those in the inseminate (60%). In Experiment 3, fertilization rates, as evidenced by the presence of two pronuclei, were not different for bull A (101 of 136; 74%) and bull B (89 of 115; 77%). In Experiment 4, there was no significant difference in percentage cleavage (72.1% versus 76%) and morulae (29.2% versus 34.8%) or blastocyst production (7.2% versus 8.4 %) for bulls A and B, respectively. Data suggest that spermatozoa with multiple nuclear vacuoles are defective in zona binding. However, vacuolated spermatozoa gaining access to the ooplasm apparantly participate in fertilization and early embryonic development. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 50:328–333, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.