China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2023, Vol. 50 ›› Issue (6): 2388-2394.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2023.06.023

• Genetics and Breeding • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Glutathione on Cryopreservation of Sheep Semen

LIU Jinyu, ZHANG Yang, MA Xumei, ZHOU Qian, ZHOU Yang, ZHANG Chunxiang, SHI Lei, REN Youshe   

  1. College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
  • Received:2022-11-20 Online:2023-06-05 Published:2023-05-30

Abstract: 【Objective】 The purpose of this study was to study the effect of glutathione (GSH) at different concentrations on cryopreservation of sheep semen.【Method】 The semen were collected from 8 Hu sheeps and diluted with 0, 2, 4, 8 and 16 μmol/L GSH and stored at 5 ℃.Sperm motility parameters including sperm viability, sperm motility, average path velocity (VAP), curvilinear velocity (VCL) and straight line velocity (VSL), sperm quality index including plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, DNA integrity and mitochondrial activity, total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the seminal plasma were measured at 24 and 120 h, respectively.【Result】 After 24 h cryoppreservation of sheep semen, sperm motility, DNA integrity, mitochondrial activity and SOD activity of 4 μmol/L GSH group were significantly higher than those of 0 and 16 μmol/L GSH groups (P<0.05).The sperm motility, sperm viability, VAP, VCL, VSL, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, DNA integrity, mitochondrial activity and T-AOC levels of 4 μmol/L GSH group were significantly higher than those of 0 and 16 μmol/L GSH groups after 120 h (P<0.05).In addition, MDA content in 4 μmol/L GSH group was significantly lower than that in 8 and 16 μmol/L GSH groups after 24 and 120 h cryopreservation (P<0.05).【Conclusion】 The addition of GSH in semen dilution could improve sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial activity and seminal plasma antioxidant capacity, and significantly improve the cryoppreservation effect of sheep semen.The optimal concentration of GSH was 4 μmol/L.

Key words: sheep semen; glutathione; cryopreservation

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