Evaluación de la criosupervivencia de espermatozoides equinos congelados y vitrificados en pellets y pajuelas

Abstract

The present study examined the viability of equine spermatozoa after being frozen and vitrified in pellets and straws. A total of 16 ejaculates from 4 Spanish horses were collected and divided into three groups according to the cryopreservation method used: Conventional freezing (CC), Pellet vitrification (VIT-Pe), and Straw vitrification (VIT-Paj). CC was carried out in 0.5 ml straws with 5% DMF and liquid nitrogen (NL2

) vapor; VIT-Pe was performed with 100 mM trehalose by

submerging the samples in droplets directly into NL2

; whereas VIT-Paj was conducted with 100 mM trehalose by submerging 0.25 ml straws inserted into 0.5 ml straws horizontally into NL2 . Kinematic parameters were affected by the freezing and vitrification processes, regardless of the technique used. CC showed significantly higher total motility (TM) and progressive motility (PM) compared to vitrification. However, VIT-Pe significantly outperformed VIT-Paj in TM. Regarding sperm membrane integrity, CC was superior to vitrification, but VIT-Pe showed better results than VIT-Paj. In morphometry, significant differences were observed among horses in variables such as width, area, roughness, and regularity. In conclusion, CC was more effective than vitrification, but VIT-Pe showed a better performance in sperm survival