Aksoy, MelihLehimcioğlu, Necdet CankatAkman, Orhan2020-03-262020-03-2620081257-5011https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12395/22344The effect of semen plasma removal either by simple centrifugation or by separation through a Percoll gradient on the integrity of plasma membranes of rabbit spermatozoa during storage at 4 degrees C and freezing was evaluated in two successive experiments. A modified hypo-osmotic swelling test procedure combined with supravital staining was employed to evaluate simultaneously membrane integrity of head and tail membranes of sperm cells. In the first experiment, the impact of semen plasma on membrane integrity of sperm cells was examined in Tris-citric acid-glucose extender at 4 degrees C for 96 h. The percentage of sperm cells with disintegrated tail and head membranes increased in all groups in correlation with the length of storage. After storage for 96 h, removal of semen plasma, irrespective of the method of removal, resulted in significant increase (P<0.01) in the percentage of sperm cells with disintegrated plasma membranes. The adverse effect of storage and removal of semen plasma was more prominent on the tail membranes, and especially during the first 24 h of the storage period. In the second experiment, the impact of semen plasma on membrane integrity of sperm cells undergoing freezing was examined. A total of three groups were arranged as described in the first experiment, and semen samples were frozen in straws using an extender including acetamide and methyl cellulose. Freezing of semen drastically reduced the percentage of sperm cells with intact plasma membranes in post-thaw samples. However, removal of semen plasma, irrespective of the method of removal, did not affect the proportion of sperm cells with intact plasma membranes. In conclusion, the effect of semen plasma on plasma membranes varied significantly relative to the preservation temperature of sperm cells. Although it exerted a protective influence during storage at 4 degrees C, no protective impact was monitored during freezing.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessspermmembrane integrityseminal plasmarabbitfreezingstorageArticle16116WOS:000254132900001Q3