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Genetic research

Researchers Evaluate Sperm Quality and Kinetics After Percoll Density Gradient Centrifugation

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— 1 min read

Percoll density gradient centrifugation (PDGC) is a widely used method for sperm separation in Indonesia, but its impact on sperm quality and kinetics is not well understood. Researchers at Universitas Brawijaya conducted an experiment to evaluate the effects of PDGC on sperm quality, membrane integrity, acrosome damage, and DNA fragmentation after sperm sexing and cryopreservation.

The study involved six treatment groups: fresh semen, post-sexing X-chromosome-bearing sperm, post-sexing Y-chromosome-bearing sperm, post-thawing unsexed semen, post-thawing X-chromosome-bearing sperm, and post-thawing Y-chromosome-bearing sperm. The researchers used computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) to assess sperm motility, viability, concentration, abnormality, and kinetic variables.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that PDGC sexing significantly reduced individual motility (IM), concentration, total motile sperm (TMS), viability, membrane integrity (MI), and intact acrosome cap (IAC).
  • Freezing of unsexed and sexed semen further decreased IM, concentration, TMS, viability, MI, and IAC, while increasing sperm abnormalities.
  • DNA fragmentation increased post-sexing and freezing in unsexed semen, indicating potential DNA damage from these processes.
  • Kinetic variable assessment using CASA showed that PDGC maintained sperm motility characteristics, whereas freezing led to a significant decline in sperm kinetics.
  • The researchers concluded that PDGC is a viable method for sperm sexing in cattle, as it preserves sperm quality, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, DNA integrity, and motility characteristics while being compatible with semen cryopreservation.
  • These findings confirm that PDGC-processed semen is suitable for artificial insemination (AI).

Statistics:

  • The study involved six treatment groups.
  • The results showed a significant decrease in IM (65.1% to 42.1%), concentration (55.6 to 25.6 million sperm/mL), TMS (51.1% to 29.6%), viability (87.4% to 63.1%), MI (92.1% to 78.2%), and IAC (88.5% to 74.2%) after PDGC sexing.
  • Freezing of semen resulted in a further decrease in IM (18.1% to 5.9%), concentration (10.3 to 2.5 million sperm/mL), TMS (23.5% to 9.4%), viability (63.1% to 24.9%), MI (78.2% to 40.5%), and IAC (74.2% to 34.5%).
  • DNA fragmentation increased post-sexing and freezing in unsexed semen from 12.1% to 23.5%.

Sources:

  • Sperm Quality, Kinematics, Membrane Integrity, and DNA Fragmentation of Frozen Sexed Semen in Holstein-Friesian Bulls. Tropical Animal Science Journal, 2025,48(3). (Tropical Animal Science Journal - http://journal.ipb.ac.id/index.php/tasj)
  • Life Science Weekly. May 27, 2025; p 3596.

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