Background: Using cryovial for freezing dog spermatozoa provides a practical method to increase extended sperm volume and shorten the time required for equilibration by using a simple freezing techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal thawing condition for dog sperm cryopreservation using cryovials. Methods: For sperm freezing, cryovials with 200 × 106 sperm/mL were cooled after the addition of tris egg yolk extender (TEY) at 4℃ for 20 min, then TEY with 4% glycerol was added and equilibrated for another 20 min before being aligned over LN2 vapor for another 20 min and plunged directly into LN2. Spermatozoa were thawed in a water bath at 37℃ for varying times (25 sec, 60 sec, 90 sec, and 120 sec) in the first experiment. In the second experiment, spermatozoa were thawed in a water bath at various temperatures and times (37℃ for 1 min, 37℃ for 1 min with gentle stirring, 24℃ for 24 min, and 75℃ for 20 sec). In these experiments, the effect of thawing conditions on motility parameters, viability (SYBR-14/PI), and acrosome integrity (PSA/ FITC) of spermatozoa were investigated. Results: The post-thaw sperm motility parameters, viability, and acrosome integrity were not significantly different across the experimental groups. Conclusions: In this study, the characteristics of spermatozoa frozen using cryovials were not significantly affected by various thawing conditions.

The aim of this study was to develop a chemically defined extender for dog sperm cryopreservation by supplementation of essential and non-essential amino acids solution in EY-free PVA extender. Spermatozoa collected from mature dogs (1 ｘ 108 cell/ml) were frozen with EY-free extender supplemented with 0 (control), 1, 2, 4 % essential amino acids (EAAs) or 1, 2, 4 % non-essential amino acids (NEAAs). Sperm progressive motility, viability and acrosome integrity were evaluated immediately after thawing at 37 ℃ for 25 s and post-thaw incubation at room temperature for 20 min. In addition, to evaluate the synergistic effect of EAAs and NEAAs, spermatozoa were frozen with 0, 0.5, 1 or 2 % EAAs-NEAAs mixture (v:v). Sperm progressive motility, viability and acrosome integrity were evaluated immediately after thawing and post-thaw incubation. Additionally, spermatozoa were frozen using EY-free PVA extender supplemented with 2 % EAAs, 2 % NEAAs or 0.5 % EAAs-NEAAs mixture. The ROS level and phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation (Annexin V-FITC assay) were assessed using flow cytometry. In addition, gene expression level for SMCP (motility-related), apoptosis-related BCL2 and BAX was measured after freezing-thawing. The progressive motility of spermatozoa cryopreserved in EAAs or NEAAs significantly increased (P < 0.05) in all groups compared to the control group regardless of thawing conditions. In addition, 1 % NEAAs significantly protected the acrosome membrane of spermatozoa after freezing-thawing (P < 0.05). However, EAAs has shown no significant effect on viability and acrosome membrane integrity of spermatozoa. On the other hand, addition of EAAs-NEAAs mixture to EY-free PVA extender significantly (P < 0.05) increased sperm progressive motility without any effect on viability. Supplementation of 0.5 % EAAs-NEAAs mixture significantly (P < 0.05) increased the expression level of SMCP, BCL2 and BAX compared to control without significant effect on PS translocation and ROS level. We conclude that essential and non-essential amino acids solution can be effectively used in EY-free extender to improve sperm motility, acrosome integrity and gene expression of SMCP and BCL2 in dog sperm cryopreservation.

This study was performed to investigate the characteristics within ages and freezing tolerance of spermatozoa in Jindo Dog. Experimental animals were selected 12 herds within 1～8 year’s old and collected semen for 2 times in a week. Collected semen was evaluated whole volume and sperm number with CASA system (SIAS, Medical Supply, Korea). Then seminal plasma were separated and diluted with modified Tris-egg yolk extender and added 4, 6 and 8% glycerol for 4 times to final concentration and equilibrated for 1.5 hrs. Before and after freezing, equilibrated semen were evaluated the survival rates. Total volume of sperm at 1～2 year old group is as 5.2×108 cells/ ml largest and there were no significance among groups. The motility of 1～2 year old group is highest as 90.9% and there were significance among groups. Abnormal sperm showed similar among groups. The survival rate in terms of pre-freezing and post-freezing were decreased all levels of glycerol and reveled 87.0% to 64.5% in 4%, 87.5% to 51.9% in 6% and 73.4% to 29.7% in 8%, there were significant difference among the groups (p<0.05). These results suggest that the optimal sperm-freezing methods in Jindo Dog are utilized with modified Tris egg-yolk extender with 4% glycerol and were improve the reproductive activity by these methods.

This studies were conducted to investigate the survival rate of frozen-thawed spermatozoa of Jindo Dog by monosaccharide and freezing rates. Experimental animals were prepared 12 males within 1~8 year's old and collected once in a couple of weeks by digital manuplation methods. Collected semen was diluted 1:1 with Tris-egg yolk extender and added 4, 6 or 8% of glycerol and none, 4 mM glucose or 4 mM fructose as cryoprotectant and was equilibrated for 2 hrs in . In monosaccharide groups, the freezing rate was 5 cm-5 min. above . The survival rates without monosaccharide were , , in 4, 6 or 8% glycerol, respectively. In addition of glucose, the survival rates were , , in 4, 6 or 8% glycerol, respectively and in fructose, were , , in 4, 6 or 8% glycerol, respectively. There showed significantly different between glycerol groups and monosaccharides groups (p<0.05). The survival rates of freezing rate in 5 cm-5 min. group was , , and in 10 cm-10 min. group was , , in 4, 6 or 8% glycerol, respectively. There were significantly different between freezing rates (p<0.05). These results suggest that the addition of fructose with 6%-glycerol and slow freezing improve the survival of frozen-thawed sperm in Jindo Dog.

Flow cytometry를 이용하여 개 정자의 생존율 평가를 수행하고자 2-4세의 수캐 5두가 이용되었고, 분석을 위해 PI염색을 실시하였다. Flow cytometry를 이용한 개 신선 정액의 생존율 평가는 생존 정자와 죽은 정자의 비율을 1:0, 1:1, 1:3으로 조성하여 이를 flow cytometry로 평가하고 광학현미경검사, CFDA/PI 염색검사, HOS test에 의한 생존율과 비교하여 flow cytometry와의 상관관계를 알아보았다. 또한 개 정액을 동결하여 응해 후의 개 정자의 생존율 평가에도 동일한 방법으로 상관관계를 조사하였다. 신선 정액에서 생존 정자와 죽은 정자의 비율이 1:0, 1:1, 1:3 모든 경우에서 flow cytometry를 이용한 생존율은 HOS test에 의한 생존율과 높은 상관관계를 나타내었다 (p<0.01). 신선 정액에서 생존 정자와 죽은 정자의 비율이 1:0과 1:3일 때 광학현미경적 검사에 의한 생존율은 flow cytometry 분석에 의한 생존율과 유의 적인 상관관계를 나타내었으나 (p<0.05), 1:1 비율의 경우 상관관계를 보이지 않았다. 신선 정액에 생존 정자와 죽은 정자의 비율이 1:0과 1:1일 때 CFDA/PI 염색 검사에 의한 생존율은 flow cytometry분석에 의한 생존율과 높은 상관관계를 보였으며(p<0.01), 1:3 비율에서는 유의적인 상관관계를 보였다 (p<0.05). 동결 및 응해 후의 개 정자의 생존율 평가에서 HOS test 결과는 flow cytometry분석에 의한 생존율과 높은 상관관계를 보였으며 (p<0.01), 광학현미경적 검사를 통한 생존율은 유의적인 상관관계를 보였으나 (p<0.05), CFDA/PI 염색 검사결과는 상관관계를 보이지 않았다. 이상의 결과 flow cytometry는 신선정액 및 동결ㆍ융해 후 개 정자에 대한 생존율 검사에 정확한 평가 방법 인 것으로 판단되었다.

개의 인공수정에 사용할 정자의 보존방법을 확립하기 위하여, 동결속도와 응해 온도를 설정하여 적절한 동결방법을 정립하고자 본 실험을 실시하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 동결의 방법에 있어서는 액체질소의 표면으로부터 17 cm 높이에서 동결하는 -3/min의 동결속도로 실시하여 37에서 2분간 응해하는 방법이 가장 좋은 결과를 보였다. 생존성과 운동성에 있어서의 차이는 없지만 첨체의 intact한 비율은 약간 낮은 결과를 보였으며, 이의 보완을 위해, 액

Artificial insemination (AI) with frozen or cooled semen is widely used in commercial fields of cattle and pig. Little is known about characteristics of canine sperm after freezing or cooling. For both practical and commercial goal, the canine semen treated with cooling and freezing should be carried out to exam the fundamentals, including sperm motility, survivability and fertilizing capacity. The aim of this study, thus, was to identify the effects of extended exposure to 4 on canine semen by motility, survivability, acrosomal changes following different duration. Fifteen ejaculates collected by digital manipulation twice per week from 3 dogs (Shih-Tzu) were divided to 16 aliquots after adding Tris-egg yolk (TE) buffer formulated by our laboratory, and cooled from 37 to 4, by ramp rate of 0.6/min. Each sample was evaluated by their motility, survivability and the acrosomal status at 0h (control), 2h, 12h and 1 d~10 d, respectively. The motility of spermatozoa was graded to 6 levels using the modified method of Seager. The survivability of sperm was assessed using an epifluorescence microscope after Fert/Light (Mole-cular Probes Inc.) staining. To estimate the proportion of the spermatozoa of intact acrosome, 200 spermatozoa were assessed in randomly selected fields, using epifluorescence microscope after FITC/PSA (Sigma) staining. At 2 h after cooling, the motility of most spermatozoa were assessed to be grade 0 and 1. At 12 h, high number of sperm were in grade 0 to 1, however, it was significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of 2 h. From 1 d to 4 d, ~50% of sperm was assessed to grade 0 to 1. On day 7, a little sperm were in grade 0 to 1. No sperm showed motility on day 10. Sperm motility was rapidly reduced by the percent of 10% of grade 0 to 1. From 2 h to 6 h, the number of live sperm was 90% and the sperm chilled for 10 days lived>50%. Acrosomal intact of spermatozoa exposed to 4 for 2 h was 51%, supposed the sperm of control was 100%. Our results suggest that 1) this is easy to transfer and preservation for short periods 2) AI can be used by semen chilled for 6-Day.