<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>It has been suggested that nanowater (NW-water declustered in the cold plasma generator and characterized by a low freezing point and high diffusivity) could improve ram semen quality after freezing in glycerol-containing extenders. Eighteen ejaculates from six Olkuska rams were divided into six equal portions each, and then diluted (800×10<sup>6</sup> spermatozoa/ml) and frozen in the fructose-skimmed milk-egg yolk Kareta extenders containing 3% or 7% of glycerol. The extenders were prepared with deionized water (DW-3% and DW-7%) or NW declustered for 15 min (NW15’) or 30 min (NW30’). Post-thaw sperm motility, proportions of sperm defects and percentages of apoptotic, necrotic, and live spermatozoa were determined. The proportion of spermatozoa with midpiece defects was lower (P&lt;0.05) in NW15’-3% compared with DW-3%. Sperm progressive motility was greater (P&lt;0.05) for spermatozoa cryopreserved in both NW30’ (NW30’-3%/7%) extenders compared with their respective controls (DW30’-3%/7%). The proportion of necrotic spermatozoa 1 h after thawing was lower (P&lt;0.05) in NW30’-7% compared with DW-7%, whereas the proportion of live cells detected immediately and 1 h after thawing was greater (P&lt;0.05) in NW30’-7% than in DW-7%. In summary, NW enhanced cryoprotective effects of glycerol-containing extenders with an increase in sperm viability being greater with 7% than 3% of glycerol. Different declustering times appear to alter NW properties. These observations merit future studies of the utility of NW for semen cryopreservation in rams and other mammalian species. The specific mechanisms whereby NW ameliorates the quality of frozen-thawed ram spermatozoa remain to be elucidated.</p>
</abstract>

It has been suggested that nanowater (NW-water declustered in the cold plasma generator and characterized by a low freezing point and high diffusivity) could improve ram semen quality after freezing in glycerol-containing extenders. Eighteen ejaculates from six Olkuska rams were divided into six equal portions each, and then diluted (800×106 spermatozoa/ml) and frozen in the fructose-skimmed milk-egg yolk Kareta extenders containing 3% or 7% of glycerol. The extenders were prepared with deionized water (DW-3% and DW-7%) or NW declustered for 15 min (NW15’) or 30 min (NW30’). Post-thaw sperm motility, proportions of sperm defects and percentages of apoptotic, necrotic, and live spermatozoa were determined. The proportion of spermatozoa with midpiece defects was lower (P<0.05) in NW15’-3% compared with DW-3%. Sperm progressive motility was greater (P<0.05) for spermatozoa cryopreserved in both NW30’ (NW30’-3%/7%) extenders compared with their respective controls (DW30’-3%/7%). The proportion of necrotic spermatozoa 1 h after thawing was lower (P<0.05) in NW30’-7% compared with DW-7%, whereas the proportion of live cells detected immediately and 1 h after thawing was greater (P<0.05) in NW30’-7% than in DW-7%. In summary, NW enhanced cryoprotective effects of glycerol-containing extenders with an increase in sperm viability being greater with 7% than 3% of glycerol. Different declustering times appear to alter NW properties. These observations merit future studies of the utility of NW for semen cryopreservation in rams and other mammalian species. The specific mechanisms whereby NW ameliorates the quality of frozen-thawed ram spermatozoa remain to be elucidated.

Nanowater enhances cryoprotective properties of glycerol-containing extenders used for ram semen freezing: A preliminary study spanning laboratory testing

Department of Animal Nutrition, Biotechnology and Fisheries

Department of Animal Genetics, Husbandry and Ethology

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College

Annals of Animal Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

It has been suggested that nanowater (NW-water declustered in the cold plasma generator and characterized by a low freezing point and high diffusivity) could...

Nanowater enhances cryoprotective properties of glycerol-containing extenders used for ram semen freezing: A preliminary study spanning laboratory testing

Published Online: Jul 19, 2022

Page range: 945 - 952

Received: May 03, 2021

Accepted: Dec 09, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2022-0008

Keywords
ram, semen, cryopreservation, extender, glycerol, nanowater

© 2022 Joanna Szymanowicz et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Nanowater enhances cryoprotective properties of glycerol-containing extenders used for ram semen freezing: A preliminary study spanning laboratory testing

Published Online: Jul 19, 2022

Page range: 945 - 952

Received: May 03, 2021

Accepted: Dec 09, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2022-0008

Keywordsram, semen, cryopreservation, extender, glycerol, nanowater

© 2022 Joanna Szymanowicz et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
ram, semen, cryopreservation, extender, glycerol, nanowater