Collection and quality of rhesus monkey semen

1040-452X

Spermatozoa ; Penile probes ; Electroejaculation ; Life and Medical Sciences ; Cell & Developmental Biology

Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000

Biology

Electroejaculation is an accepted method of semen collection from nonhuman primates. Although both penile and rectal probe stimulation techniques have been used, there has been a general lack of consistency and detail regarding their application. This report describes the collection, processing, and evaluation of rhesus monkey semen contrasting two methods of penile electrcejaculation: (1) a constant-voltage method where stimulus current is a variable and (2) a constant-current method where stimulus current is operator-controlled. The constant-current method was the more efficient procedure, requiring a lower stimulus current for successful electroejaculation. The intluence on semen quality of potentially toxic agents used in the procedure, surgical glove powder and electrolyte cream, was tested; both were determental as measured by motility loss. No correlation was found between coagula volume and sperm numbers. The intra- and interanimal variability in semen samples from six monkeys was also evaluated. Penile electroejaculation, combined with control of stimulus current, provides a consistent, successful, and humane method for the collection of semen in the rhesus monkey.

2 Ill.

Electronic Resource