Determining the relationship between bull sperm kinematic subpopulations and fluorescence groups using an integrated sperm quality analysis technique

The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is an association between the kinematic sperm subpopulations and fluorescent groups in bulls using a new fluorescent staining method that allows classification of spermatozoa into groups depending on their acrosomal and membrane integrity, as well as functional status, without inhibiting sperm motility. Cryopreserved semen samples from 10 Holstein bulls were used in the study. A multiparametric analysis of results obtained by the ISAS 3Fun kit (Proiser) was performed. The different fluorescent groups were detected and their motility characteristics evaluated using ISAS software. Clustering procedures using the kinematic data resulted in the classification of spermatozoa into three kinematic sperm subpopulations. The distribution of kinematic sperm subpopulations was different between the fluorescent sperm groups (P < 0.001), although the correlation between them was low (r = 0.113; P < 0.01).