OC3 Morphometry Characterisation of Catalan Donkey Spermatozoa and Identification of Sperm Morphometric Subpopulations

Abstract

This study determined morphometric patterns of Catalan donkey spermatozoa. For this purpose, 32 ejaculates were collected from seven Catalan donkeys. Semen smears were stained with Harris’ Hematoxilin stain and analyzed with an ASMA system. VARCLUS and FASTCLUS procedures were applied to determine the most significant morphology parameters and the morphologic subpopulations respectively. Mean values of head morphometry were: length (LH) 5.45 ± 0.53 μm, width (WH) 2.68 ± 0.21 μm, area (AH) 11.56 ± 1.32 μm2, percentage of reacted acrosomes 45.2 ± 6.95%, FUN1 (LH/AH) 2.0 ± 0.21, FUN3 (4piS/PH2) 0.3 ± 0.04. Mean values of midpiece were: width (WMP) 1.2 ± 1.08 μm, area (AMP) 3.2 ± 0.99 μm2, angle between head and midpiece (AHMP) 8.8 ± 17.46 degrees. Four different sperm morphometric subpopulations were identified. Subpopulation 1 (2.18% of spermatozoa) showed a WMP of 2.66 μm, an AMP of 39.96 μm2. Subpopulation 2 (72.78% of spermatozoa) showed a WMP of 1.00 μm, an AMP of 4.01 μm2. Subpopulation 3 (24.24% of spermatozoa) showed a WMP of 1.36 μm, an AMP of 14.11 μm2. Finally, subpopulation 4 (0.94% of spermatozoa) showed a WMP of 7.70 μm, an AMP of 171.53 μm2. It is noteworthy that four morphologic subpopulations were identified suggesting a possible relationship between these and the four motility subpopulations previously described (Miró et al. 2005, Theriogenology 63: 706–1716).