TEST FOR THE ACROSOMAL REACTION OF GOAT SPERMATOZOA TREATED WITH HEPARIN

The study was designed to examine the effect of heparin on in-vitro in duction of the acrosome reaction in goat spermatozoa. Semen was collec ted with an artifical vagina (43 degrees C) from 2-3 proven bucks main tained at the farm. The swim-up technique was used to obtain the highl y motile fraction of spermatozoa. The motile sperm cells were extended in modified defined media containing glucose, pyruvic acid and sodium lactate as energy source. Heparin was added at the rate of 10 mu g ml (-1) sperm suspension and the samples were incubated at 38.5 degrees C for 45 min. Acrosome-reacted spermatozoa were estimated using the dua l staining technique (0.2% Trypan blue and 10% Giemsa stain). The perc entage of live spermatozoa which had undergone the acrosome reaction a t the end of incubation was 8.0. The dose of heparin and duration of i ncubation time appears to be insufficient in causing a large number of live spermatozoa to undergo the acrosome reaction. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.