Effects of ions on the motility of fresh and demembranated paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) spermatozoa

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of different environmental conditions on the motility parameters of paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) spermatozoa. Paddlefish spermatozoa demonstrated the following characteristics: (i) all spermatozoa were motile 10 s after activation with a velocity of 130-160 μm s-1; (ii) after 2 min, velocity decreased to 80-130 μm s-1; and (iii) motility was maintained for up to 9 min. Concentrations of 0.5-5.0 mmol KCl I-1 prevented activation of spermatozoa. After transfer into a swimming medium (20 mmol Tris I-1, pH 8.2 and 1 mg BSA ml-1) containing 0.5 mmol KCl I-1 (combined with 5 mmol NaCl or MgCl2 I-1), 80-100% of cells were motile with a velocity of about 120-150 μm s-1. MgCl2 significantly improved the velocity of spermatozoa at 10, 40, 50 and 60 s after activation and the stable velocity of spermatozoa was about 140 μm s-1. Very low concentrations of CaCl2 (0.125 mmol I-1) combined with 0.5 mmol KCl I-1 initiated motility in 20% of spermatozoa, whereas all spermatozoa were activated after 2 min with 0.25 mmol CaCl2 I-1 in similar medium for the full period of swimming with velocity of about 120 μm s-1. This study demonstrated that potassium (5-15 mmol I-1) inhibits demembranated spermatozoa. Thus, initiation of movement in paddlefish spermatozoa is under the reciprocal control of potassium and calcium ion concentrations.