CHANGES IN TURKEY SPERMATOZOZA MOTILITY PARAMETERS AFTER ADDITION OF COPPER SULPHATE IN VITRO

Copper as essential trace element is obligatory in many biological processes. Nevertheless higher concentrations of this metal are highly toxic for organisms at different levels and of course for spermatozoa. The aim of present work was to examine impact of copper sulphate on turkey spermatozoa motility parameters (line Big 6) during in vitro incubation at 41 degrees C. Four concentration of CuSO4: M1 - 6.25 mu g.ml(-1); M2 - 12.5 mu g.ml(-1); M3 - 25.0 mu g.ml(-1); M4 - 50.0 mu g.ml(-1) were investigated. The motility parameters were evaluated using the Computer Assisted Semen Analyzer system (program Sperm Vision (R)) at four time periods: 0, 30, 60 and 90 minutes. Immediately at the beginning of incubation significantly lower values of progressive motility were detected in samples M3 (p<0.01) and M4 (p<0.001) compared to the control. Significantly lower values of motility and progressive motility were detected in samples M2 (p<0.05), M3 and M4 (p<0.001) in comparison to control after 30 minutes of incubation. In the samples M3 and M4 also significant decrease (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001) of velocity curved line, amplitude of lateral head displacement and beat cross frequency were observed. In the sample M1 significant increase of velocity curved line (p<0.001) and amplitude of lateral head displacement (p<0.05) in comparison to control at the time 0 was detected. Obtained data demonstrate that the high concentration of copper sulphate (from 12.5 mu g.ml(-1)) decreases motility parameters of turkey spermatozoa during in vitro incubation at 41 degrees C. The results also indicate that the addition of copper less than 6.25 mu g.ml(-1) to the culture medium could be beneficial for the motility of turkey spermatozoa.