Epididymal sperm evaluation of domestic cats after recovery with ACP-l l7c or Tris egg yolk addition and cooling at 4 ºC for 24h

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of spermatozoa recovered from domestic cats epididymis using the ACP-l l7c or Tris extenders added by egg yolk and cooled for 24h . Four cats were used. The animals were submitted to bilateral orchiectomy, obtaining the testis epididymis complexes (TEC). The TEC were stored in 0.9% saline solution and cooled at 4 ºC for 2h. Then the spermatozoa were recovered with ACP-l l 7c or Tris and evaluated for motility and vigor. Subsequently, 80µ1 of the dilution were placed in a 1.5 mL micro tube together with 20Ll of egg yolk and the cells were reassessed. Soon after, an aliquot was stored in a refrigerator at 4 ºC for 24 hours and then reassessed. The total motility and sperm vigor using the ACP-l l 7c extender were significantly lower in the group refrigerated for 24h when compareci to the fresh group. The motility and vigor declined in the refrigerated group with Tris for 24h as compareci to other groups. The motility with Tris was higher than the motility with ACP-l l 7c after 24h of cooling. The epididymal spermatic cells of domestic cats can maintain motility parameters and vigor required for further use after addition of egg yolk, however, further studies should be developed with ACP- l l 7c in the post-cooling time in order to obtain better results.