Testicular ultrasound analysis as a predictive tool of ram sperm quality

Carvajal Serna, M. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Miguel Jiménez, S. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Pérez Pe, R. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Casao, A. (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: esticular ultrasound is a non-invasive technique that could be very useful for predicting ram seminal quality. Recent software developments allow macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of testicular parenchyma. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the testicular echotexture using ultrasound-video analysis and investigate its possible correlation with semen quality. Nine rams were evaluated for one year using a portable ultrasound scanner and the echotexture was analyzed with ECOTEXT® software. The number of black (Ec1), white (Ec2), and grey pixels (Ec3), tubular density (TD), lumen area (LA), and lumen diameter (LD) were analyzed. Semen was collected by an artificial vagina the same day and the sperm concentration, morphology, motility, viability, phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation, reactive-oxygen-species (ROS) levels, DNA damage and capacitation state were evaluated. Ec2 and Ec3 correlated positively with “bad quality” sperm parameters (the percentage of spermatozoa with high ROS levels, with PS translocation and proximal cytoplasmic droplets), and negatively with motility. In contrast, TD and LA showed a positive correlation with “good quality” parameters (motility or normal morphology) and a negative correlation with spermatozoa with high ROS levels, with DNA fragmentation, and proximal or distal cytoplasmic droplets. Thus, echotexture analysis by ultrasound-video analysis could be a valuable tool for assessing ram fertility.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.3390/biology11020261

Año: 2022

Publicado en: Biology 11, 2 (2022), 261 [18 pp.]
ISSN: 2079-7737

Factor impacto JCR: 4.2 (2022)

Categ. JCR: BIOLOGY rank: 25 / 92 = 0.272 (2022) - Q2 - T1

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 4.0 - Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Q2) - Immunology and Microbiology (Q3) - Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Q3)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.779 - Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Immunology and Microbiology (miscellaneous) (Q2) - Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (miscellaneous) (Q2)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/CICYT-FEDER/AGL2017-83799-R
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/A07-17R
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PRE2018-085198

Tipo y forma: Artículo (Versión definitiva)

Área (Departamento): Área Zoología (Dpto. Bioq.Biolog.Mol. Celular)