Quality of bull spermatozoa after preparation by single-layer centrifugation

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of single-layer centrifugation (SLC) through a species-specific colloid (Androcoll-B; patent pending, J. M. Morrell) on bull sperm quality. Computer-assisted sperm analysis of motility and flow cytometric analysis of sperm viability (SYBR-14/propidium iodide staining), chromatin integrity (acridine orange staining), reactive oxygen species production [Hoechst 33258-hydroethidine-2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (HO-HE-DCFDA) staining], mitochondrial membrane potential (staining with JC-1 probe), and protein tyrosine phosphorylation (specific antibody staining) were performed on unselected and SLC-selected sperm samples. Single-layer centrifugation of bull spermatozoa resulted in the selection of a sperm population that had high mitochondrial membrane potential, a higher content of phosphorylated protein, and more reactive oxygen species than control samples. Sperm chromatin damage was lower in the SLC samples although sperm viability and motility did not differ between SLC samples and controls. These observations suggest that SLC of bull semen in a soybean-containing extender improved some, but not all, parameters of sperm quality.