Sperm Characteristics in Microminipigs

The microminipig is a relatively new type of mini pig; microminipigs weigh about 10 kg at 6 months of age and are expected to be of use in drug discovery research and safety tests. Herein, we analyzed the characteristics of ejaculated sperm from microminipigs. Sperm parameters such as microstructure...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:In vivo (Athens) 2022-03, Vol.36 (2), p.731-737
Main Authors: Kawarasaki, Tatsuo, Enya, Satoko, Otake, Masayoshi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Ejaculation
Male
Semen Preservation
Sperm Count
Sperm Motility
Spermatozoa
Swine
Swine, Miniature
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Summary:The microminipig is a relatively new type of mini pig; microminipigs weigh about 10 kg at 6 months of age and are expected to be of use in drug discovery research and safety tests. Herein, we analyzed the characteristics of ejaculated sperm from microminipigs. Sperm parameters such as microstructure and sensitivity to cold shock were investigated using optical or scanning electron microscopy. Ejaculate volumes and total numbers of sperm were lower than in standard pig strains, but were proportional to body weight. Ejaculation time, pH of the ejaculate, sperm motility and morphology, and sensitivity to cold shock were similar to those of standard pig strains. Herein, we provide the first characterization of the ejaculates of microminipigs and demonstrate that this type of pig will be useful not only in medical research, but also in investigations into sperm preservation in different pig breeds.
ISSN:0258-851X
1791-7549
1791-7549
DOI:10.21873/invivo.12759