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* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: anna.petrounkina{at}tiho-hannover.de.
The plasma membrane is a key organelle with respect to the sperm fertilizing ability. A sensitive way of testing plasma membrane functionality is to examine the sperm ability to moderate its swelling in response to hypoosmotic stress (volume regulatory ability) using an electronic cell counter to assess cell volume changes. In this study of frozen-thawed bull sperm, we examined the relationship between sperm - oviductal epithelium binding capacity, osmotically induced swelling response, volume regulatory ability and standard spermatological parameters. Sperm cell volume distributions were measured under iso-osmotic conditions and after hypo-osmotic stress. The relative volume shift was calculated by comparing modal values of the cell volume distributions during transition from iso-osmotic to hypo-osmotic conditions. Significant correlations were found between volumetric parameters and sperm-oviduct binding capacity. Both the relative volume shift and regulative volume decrease correlated positively and significantly with the sperm-oviduct binding capacity. No significant correlations were found between sperm volumetric parameters and any of the standard sperm parameters with exception of forward motility of Percoll-washed sperm. However, the use of multiple regression models improved the prediction level for binding capacity when motility parameters were combined with membrane integrity and volumetric parameters (R2=0.84). Spermatozoa of bulls with high non-return rates responded to hypotonicity as 'perfect osmometers'. 'Subfertile' bulls had lower binding index and deficiency in volume recovery after hypotonic challenge. That indicates that intact volume regulatory ability is a necessary prerequisite for the binding to oviductal epithelium and is related to fertility. Volumetric parameters could be therefore used as useful tools in semen evaluation programs.
Key words: Fertility •
Semen Analysis •
oviductal reservoir •
plasma membrane •
sperm function •
volume regulation
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