M. Anzar et Ef. Graham, FILTRATION OF BOVINE SEMEN .2. FACTORS AFFECTING THE RECOVERY RATE OFSPERMATOZOA, Animal reproduction science, 31(3-4), 1993, pp. 197-204
Filter and semen related factors were studied to improve the post-filt
ration recovery rate of bovine spermatozoa using a Sephadex (0.6 g) io
n-exchange (diethylaminoethane (DEAE) and carboxy-methyl (CM) cellulos
es, 0.25 g each) column. Mixing together the components of the column
did not improve the recovery rate of spermatozoa compared with layerin
g (P>0.05). A second post-filtration washing of the column with clean
buffer improved the recovery rate by 8-9%, but the quality of spermato
zoa was lower than after a first wash (P<0.01). Higher rates of filtra
tion did not increase the number of spermatozoa recovered in the filtr
ates (P>0.05). The recovery rates of spermatozoa were 2.4%, 68.3% and
70.5% at 4-degrees-C, 22-degrees-C and 37-degrees-C (P<0.01) respectiv
ely. The quality of filtrate was significantly less at 37-degrees-C th
an at 22-degrees-C in terms of visual motility (P<0.025), progressive
motility (P<0.0005), progressive velocity (P<0.025), linear index (P<0
.0005), and percentages of live cells (P<0.0005) and normal acrosomes
(P<0.025). Motility of spermatozoa seemed to be essential for successf
ul filtration. An inverse relationship was found between the recovery
rate and the quality of the semen or spermatozoa. It was concluded tha
t a single wash of the column with extended semen at 22-degrees-C with
a flow rate of 1.5 ml min-1 yielded the best semen quality with an op
timum recovery rate of spermatozoa.