A porcine in vitro fertilization (IVF) system and seminal quality parameters of frozen-thawed boar semen were used to assess the effectiveness of two different thawing rates of frozen boar semen, and to address the question of whether differences between fertility of ejaculates could be predicted in a limited field trial. In the first experiment, two thawing procedures were analysed (37 degrees...

sp42, a tyrosine kinase of 42 kDa originally found in ejaculated boar spermatozoa, is so far the only tyrosine protein kinase to have been purified from mature male germ cells. We have developed and characterized rabbit polyclonal antibodies specifically directed against the boar sperm enzyme, which has been here purified to homogeneity. Anti-sp42 serum and sp42 affinity-purified antibodies wor...

The objective was to monitor sperm counts and bacterial presence on randomly pooled semen doses over 3y and to determine effects on the farrowing rate and total born in two large farm systems, each serviced by their own boar stud. Sperm counts were divided into increments of 0.5x10(9) for data analysis. There was no effect of sperm count or the presence of bacteria on farrowing rate (n=9502 obs...

The current study investigated the relationship between the level of expression and tyrosine phosphorylation of the sperm protein 32 (sp32) and the activation of the boar proacrosin/acrosin system. The acrosomal membrane proteins of boar sperm for use in different treatment experiments (i.e., fresh sperm, freezing and thawing, capacitation, and acrosome reaction) were separated, stained by Coom...

Several laboratory assays have been designed to assess the fertility potential of a semen sample before insemination, but none have been consistent and accurate predictors of fertility. To determine whether zona-binding ability may be a useful fertility predictor, we validated and used an in vitro competitive assay to measure the ability of porcine sperm to bind to the zona pellucida. The zona-...

Among its many functions, the ubiquitin-proteasome system regulates substrate-specific proteolysis during the cell cycle, apoptosis, and fertilization and in pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and liver cirrhosis. Proteasomes are present in human and boar spermatozoa, but little is known about the interactions of proteasomal subunits with other sperm proteins or structures. We hav...

F OUR trials were conducted with boar spermatozoa to determine the effects of dilution rate, seminal plasma content and extender composition on susceptibility to cold shock and the development of resistance to cold during 30 C incubation. Acrosome morphology and sperm motility were used to assess damage by cold shock. The susceptibility of boar spermatozoa to cold shock increased as the dilutio...

Various semen extender formulas are in use to maintain sperm longevity and quality whilst acting against bacterial contamination in liquid sperm preservation. Aminoglycosides are commonly supplemented to aid in the control of bacteria. As bacterial resistance is increasing worldwide, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) received lively interest as alternatives to overcome multi-drug resistant bacteria...

It was the aim of the present study to test whey as protective protein for the sperm cell in the long-term boar semen preservation medium TRIXcell. Analyses of sperm cell motility using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) indicated that the whey protein Porex has a similar protective effect as bovine serum albumin (BSA) in maintaining viability of stored boar sperm. Boar sperm diluted in TR...

Both the sperm and oocyte are terminally differentiated cells, but within a very short post-fertilization period, their genomes are converted into a totipotent zygote. The process of this transformation has been studied in a number of mammals as well as in the pig, for which very inconsistent results have been published. To clarify these inconsistencies, we have used the interspecies intracytop...