Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Department of Theriogenology

Our objective is to compare and identify the best concentration of the best capacitating compound and the best incubation period to be used routinely in the IVF program of ram spermatozoa. Split fractions (0.1ml) of the pooled semen were layered under 1 ml of S- TALP medium supplemented with either heparin (10, 25, 50,75and 100 æg/ml),caffeine(0.5,0.75,1,2mg/ml),theophylline(0.015,0.02,0.025,0.03,0.04 and0.05mg/ml),hypoxanthine(5,10,15,20mg/ml),calciumionophoreA23187(0. 5,0.75,1,1.55mM/ml),Larginine(5,10,20,25mg/ml),PHE(10,20,30,40,50,75,1 mM/ml),oviductal secretion (10,20,50.75æl/ml) and follicular fluid (10, 20,40,50,100,150,200æl/ml). The best concentrations were 50 -75 æg/ml Heparin,1mg/mlCaffeine,0.05mg/mlTheophylline,20mg/mlLArginine,1.55m M/mlCalciumIonophoreA23187,75mM/mlPHE,20mg/mlHypoxanthine,50æl/ ml Oviductal secretion and 40 æl/ml Follicular Fluid .In the present study the penetration rates of rate of oocytes inseminated with spermatozoa treated with calcium ionophore A23187, L-Arginine and heparin were higher as compared with other capacitating agents. Moreover, heparin and PHE achieved higher fertilization rates but without significant difference with other capacitating compounds

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