Use of computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) for monitoring the effects of pollution on sperm quality of fish; application to the effects of heavy metals

Assessing reproductive and endocrine parameters in male largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) along a contaminant gradient in the lower Columbia River, USA

“…For example, automated sperm morphology analysis detected the altered morphologies of goldfish (Carassius auratus) sperm after cell exposure to mercuric chloride (Van Look and Kime, 2003). Likewise, the CASA results of cadmium-exposed spermatozoa of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) showed that progressive motility was subsequently reduced (Kime, 1996). Similar motility reductions were shown with exposures of nonylphenol to Japanese medaka spermatozoa (Hara et al, 2007) and synthetic pyrethroids to Sprague-Dawley rat spermatozoa (Song et al, 2008).…”

Treated Wastewater Effluent Reduces Sperm Motility Along an Osmolality Gradient

“…All analyses were conducted at room temperature (22°C), as temperature can influence sperm motility (Alavi and Cosson 2005). Several parameters of the ejaculate and sperm motility contribute to the likelihood of sperm successfully reaching and fertilizing an egg (Kime et al 1996(Kime et al , 2001Warnecke and Pluta 2003). These include the percentage of motile sperm in a sample (even under the best activation conditions, up to 40% of goldfish sperm will remain nonmotile due to age or maturation status) and the percentage of rapidly motile sperm (mean progressive velocity, [30 lm s -1 ) to eliminate nonmotile sperm as a factor in the analysis.…”

“…Second, the velocity of the sperm along its actual path (in contrast to the straight line measure) is reflective of the sperm swimming performance (path velocity). Finally, sperm with asymmetric morphology or other pathological changes will swim in a less fluent mode and display greater lateral movement than normal sperm (lateral head displacement Kime et al 1996). Together, these parameters allow an assessment of the ability of sperm to become activated and move quickly toward an egg during the short fertilization window.…”

“…However, the ability of freshwater teleost sperm to become motile after ejaculation, a crucial link to the reproductive success in a mating event, has received less attention (Kime 1999;Kime and Nash 1999). While research has more often focused on semen and sperm quality of exposed male fish (Schoenfuss et al 2002;Lahnsteiner et al 2005a, b;Runnalls et al 2007); recently, several studies have examined the effects of pollutants in effluent on motility parameters of fish sperm (Kime et al 1996;Rurangwa et al 2002). These studies, in effect, treated sperm as an independent, short-lived organism (often \ 1 min) that can be affected by effluent independently of the organism from which it originated.…”

Efeito do chumbo sobre a fertilização artificial e incubação de ovos de jundiá cinza (<em>Rhamdia quelen</em>)

“…Isto pode ocorrer pela possível interação existente entre os gametas e os poluentes da água, a exemplo da obstrução da micrópila, que impede a entrada dos espermatozoides no processo de fertilização (Kime, 1995). Além disso, soluções que contêm certos níveis de poluentes podem interferir diretamente na morfologia e na motilidade espermática e, posteriormente, na fertilização (Kime e Nash, 1999).…”