The effect of hyaluronidase and trypsin enzymes on liquefaction of semen in capuchin monkey (Cebus apella)

Abstract

The effect of the enzymes hyaluronidase and trypsin were recorded on the motility, vigor and acrosome integrity in the semen of capuchin monkey (Cebus apella). The animals (n=6) were maintained at Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo. Under anesthesia semen samples were collected by electroejaculation. Immediately after the ejaculation, the semen liquid fraction was analyzed for volume (ml), pH, motility (%), vigor (0-5), concentration (cells/ml), defects (%) and percentage of intact acrosome (%). The coagulated fraction was treated with a solution of hyaluronidase or trypsin, 1mg/ml in commercial medium (199-Nutricel, Campinas/SP, Brazil) in a proportion of 1:4 and the samples were examined after 5 and 15 minutes. The Student T Test (95%) was used to compare the treat-ments. There was no significant difference in the motility, vigor or acrossome integrity (p >; 0.05) between coagulated fraction diluted ei-ther in trypsin or in hyaluronidase, after 5 or 15 minutes. However, there was significant difference in motility and vigor between liquid and coagulated fraction, after 15 minutes, for both treatments (p; 0.05). In conclusion, there were no apparent effects in the coagulum for both treatments regarding motility, vigor and acrosome integrity. There were significant differences between liquid and coagulated fractions regarding motility and vigor, but not for acrosome integrity. In both enzyme treatments there were no complete dissolution of the coagulum.