The impact of adding calcium ionomycin on the sperm capacitation medium of frozen thawed bovine spermatozoa

Abstract

It is postulated that alterations in membranous lipids construction, surface characteristics, fluidity, Ca2+ permeability, and cholesterol levels collectively contribute to the process of capacitation induction. The change in sperm membrane calcium permeability following capacitation is the main signal for the acrosome reaction. The acrosome response is commonly induced in vitro using calcium ionophore. The study's objectives are to determine how the calcium ionophore (ionomycin) and the solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) affect the motility, hyperactivity, and velocity of bovine frozen–thawed spermatozoa at varying concentrations and incubation times. The capacitation medium consisted of Bracket–Oliphant medium. Four capacitation media were prepared; two treated groups were supplemented with 25 nM and 50 nM of ionomycin, one group was without ionomycin, and the control group was supplemented with DMSO. Sperm motility decreased substantially with increasing time period in all four groups, according to the findings. The result found that there was some variance in the sperm parameters between the groups and treatment times. Overall, the group exposed to 25 nM had better semen and sperm parameters than the group exposed to 50 nM. In conclusion, the role of calcium ionophore had better semen and sperm parameters in the group exposed with a lower concentration than a higher concentration on sperm.