Cryopreservation of Mirror Carp Semen

Authors: ERGUN AKÇAY, YUSUF BOZKURT, SELÇUK SEÇER, NECMETTİN TEKİN

Abstract: The effects of different extenders and cryoprotectants on the viability and fertilizing ability of frozen spermatozoa from the mirror carp, Cyprinus carpio L. (1758), were investigated. Semen was collected from anesthesized males by the abdominal massage method. Having determined the main spermatological properties (volume, motility, duration of motility, total spermatozoa number, concentration and pH), the pooled ejaculates were diluted with 3 extenders containing different cryoprotectants (15% DMSO, 15% DMA, 15% Glycerol) individually. One part semen was added to 3 parts extender. The diluted semen was packaged in 0.5 ml straws and left to equilibrate for 45 min at 4 °C. Following the equilibration, the straws were exposed to liquid nitrogen vapor for 10 mins and plunged into the liquid nitrogen. Afterwards frozen semen in the straws was thawed in a waterbath at 30 °C for 30 s to determine the motility and movement duration with regard to the post-thaw duration. The success of freezing was assessed from post-thaw sperm motility, movement duration and fertilizing ability. According to the results, while the rates of motility after thawing were similar, the lowest movement duration (10 s) (P < 0.001) was found in extender 1, containing DMA and the highest fertilization rate (25.9%) (P < 0.05) was found in extender 3, again containing DMA. In conclusion, the extender-cryoprotectant interaction was important in the cryopreservation of mirror carp semen.

Keywords: Mirror Carp (Cyprinus carpio), semen, extender, cryopreservaton, fertilization

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