Motility parameters of perch spermatozoa (Perca fluviatilis L.) during short-term storage with antioxidants addition

In a natural environment, seminal plasma provides spermatozoa with protection against reactive oxygen species. Storing semen in cooling conditions requires diluting it with various buffer solutions. Therefore, the protective role of seminal plasma is not sufficient enough. Semen obtained from five male specimens was diluted with the Kobayashi buffer solution at a 1:9 ratio. To determine the influence of antioxidants on semen storage, a buffer solution was used, as before, with the addition of 1 % albumin, 1 mM vitamin C, 1.5 mg ml−1 vitamin E, 5 mM sodium citrate, 5 mM glutathione and 5 mM cysteine. After the preparation of such tests, the parameters of spermatozoa motility were measured every 3–5 days, using the CASA system (Image House CRISMAS Company Ltd.). Among all used antioxidants, the best effects were observed after the addition of glutathione to semen. After 17 days of storage, the percentage of motile spermatozoa in the samples preserved with glutathione addition was 57 %, while without antioxidant addition, it was 44 %. Furthermore, the addition of cysteine and albumin also resulted in the lengthening of the life span of perch sperm cells. The presence of the remaining antioxidants (vitamins C and E, and sodium citrate) did not have any positive influence on spermatozoa viability, and in these samples, no motile spermatozoa were observed after 12 days of storage. Our data show that dilution of perch sperm with buffered solution might be a promising method for short-term storage.