Alginate encapsulation preserves the quality and fertilizing ability of Mediterranean Italian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and Holstein Friesian (Bos taurus) spermatozoa after cryopreservation

Abstract

The use of artificial insemination (AI) in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is limited by poor ovarian activity during the hot season, seasonal qualitative patterns in semen, low resistance of sperm cells in the female tract, difficulties in estrus detection, and variable estrus duration. Although AI procedures are commonly used in bovine, use of AI has been limited in buffalo. In the zootechnical field, different studies have been conducted to develop techniques for improvement of fertilizing ability of buffalo spermatozoa after AI. In this study, for the first time, the use of alginate encapsulation and cryopreservation of buffalo spermatozoa is described, and the same procedure was performed with Holstein Friesian (Bos taurus) semen. Results obtained from in vitro analyses indicate that the encapsulation process does not have detrimental effects (compared to controls) on quality parameters (membrane integrity, progressive motility, path average velocity) in either species. Similarly, there were no detrimental effects after cryopreservation in either species. The fertilizing potential of encapsulated and cryopreserved semen was evaluated after AI in 25 buffalo and 113 bovine females. Pregnancy rates were not affected in either species. The results of this study show proof of concept for the use of frozen semen controlled-release devices in buffalo.

In vitro studies of Norwegian Red bovine semen immobilized and cryopreserved in alginate solid gel network

“…Importantly, no significant differences between AIs performed with NRF semen immobilized by the first production line of SV technology (C), which showed the highest levels of sperm DFI (%) and SD DFI in the present study, and conventionally preserved semen was found in a large AI study (Standerholen et al, 2015). It is earlier reported that encapsulated sperm cells are able to fertilize in vivo (Nebel & Saacke, 1994;Nebel et al, 1993;Perteghella et al, 2016;Vishwanath, Nebel, McMillan, Pitt, & Macmillan, 1997).…”

“…It is earlier reported that encapsulated sperm cells are able to fertilize in vivo (Nebel & Saacke, ; Nebel et al., ; Perteghella et al., ; Vishwanath, Nebel, McMillan, Pitt, & Macmillan, ). With the encapsulation technology, the spermatozoa are in a fluid core of an alginate capsule (Nebel et al., ), from which these cells are released at the same time unless an uneven dissolving of the capsules take place.…”

“…Bull spermatozoa were first encapsulated in poly‐l‐lysine capsules (Nebel, Bame, Saacke, & Lim, ; Nebel, Vishwanath, McMillan, & Saacke, ), followed by encapsulation of boar semen in calcium, barium and protamine alginate beads (Faustini, ; Faustini, Vigo, Spinaci, Galeati, & Torre, ; Torre et al., ; Vigo et al., ). Furthermore, microencapsulation of human (Herrler, Eisner, Bach, Weissenborn, & Beier, ), canine (Shah et al., ), bovine and buffalo (Perteghella et al., ) spermatozoa has been combined successfully with cryopreservation. Bull sperm cells can also be immobilized in a solid gel network of calcium alginate before cryopreservation by the SpermVital ® technology (Kommisrud, Hofmo, & Klinkenberg, ).…”

“…Furthermore, microencapsulation of human (Herrler, Eisner, Bach, Weissenborn, & Beier, 2006), canine (Shah et al, 2011), bovine and buffalo (Perteghella et al, 2016) spermatozoa has been combined successfully with cryopreservation. Bull sperm cells can also be immobilized in a solid gel network of calcium alginate before cryopreservation by the SpermVital ® technology (Kommisrud, Hofmo, & Klinkenberg, 2008).…”

Relationship between post‐thaw adenosine triphosphate content, motility and viability in cryopreserved bovine semen applying two different preservation methods

“…Furthermore, in an attempt to prolong spermatozoa lifespan in vivo in the female, new semen processing methods have been established. Bovine sperm cells can be encapsulated in alginate beads (Perteghella et al, ) or immobilized by the SpermVital ® technology in solid alginate gel before freezing (Alm‐Kristiansen et al, ; Standerholen et al, ). Common goal for all processing methods is to minimize sperm cryo‐injuries.…”