Effects of frozen and liquid hypothermic storage and extender type on calcium homeostasis in relation to viability and ATP content in striped bass (Morone saxatilis) sperm.

The effect of hypothermic storage on striped bass sperm calcium homeostasis was determined by Fluo-3 flow cytometry. Calcium homeostasis was defined as the ability of cells to maintain a low concentration of intracellular free calcium as measured by Fluo-3 fluorescence. Sperm were stored frozen in striped bass extender (SBE) and Tris-NaCl medium (T350) modified with 50 mM glycine and 7.5% dimethylsulfoxide and in nonfrozen form diluted 1:3 (vol/vol) in SBE and T350 for 1, 24, and 48 hours at 4 °C in an oxygen atmosphere. Fluo-3 fluorescence was detected in less than 5% of fresh viable sperm cells indicating maintenance of calcium homeostasis. In contrast to sperm in fresh semen, frozen-thawed and nonfrozen sperm cells lost to a considerable extent the ability to maintain low intracellular free calcium even in the absence of exogenous calcium; positive Fluo-3 fluorescence was found in 26% and 39% of thawed sperm frozen in SBE- and T350-based freezing diluents, respectively, and increased (P < 0.05) to 67% during nonfrozen storage in SBE and T350 at 24 and 48 hours. Sperm viability measured by exclusion of propidium iodide by flow cytometry was 99% in fresh milt and maintained at 86% (P > 0.05) in SBE after 48 hours of nonfrozen storage but decreased (P < 0.05) to 55.7% after 48 hours in T350. Energy status in terms of ATP content, determined by luciferin-luciferase bioluminescence assay, was higher (P < 0.05) in sperm frozen in SBE than in T350 during the first 5 minutes post-thaw and decreased to essentially zero by 15 minutes post-thaw and did not differ among nonfrozen storage treatments. In conclusion, sperm cells impervious to propidium iodide after frozen or nonfrozen storage were unable to maintain low intracellular calcium content. SBE is a better medium than T350 for frozen or nonfrozen storage of striped bass sperm. The inability to regulate intracellular calcium in striped bass sperm may be associated with poor activation of motility after 4 °C storage and cryopreservation.