EFFECT OF LASER TREATMENT ON CAMEL SEMEN PRESERVATION

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out. The first experiment aimed to define the effect of green laser irradiation (532 nm, 3 mW) with different exposure times on the epididymal camel (Camelus dromedarius) semen quality and enzymatic activity, during incubation at 37°C for 8 hours. The histological changes in the testes were also examined. The second experiment aimed to define the effect of green laser irradiation (532 nm, 3 mW) with different exposure times on the epididymal camel semen quality and enzymatic activity, during chilled storage at 5°C for 4 days. The penetrating ability of spermatozoa exposed to different exposure times of laser irradiation into she-camel cervical mucus, during incubation at 37°C for 4 hours was also checked. Semen samples were divided into 6 groups, a control group (non-irradiated group) and 5 groups of irradiated semen with green laser irradiation for (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min) in the two experiments. The percentages of sperm motility, storagability of spermatozoa, dead spermatozoa, acrosomal damage of spermatozoa and the enzymatic activity of aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were recorded. In the first experiment, laser irradiation of spermatozoa increased significantly (P<0.05) the percentage of motile spermatozoa, while deceased significantly (P<0.05) the percentages of dead spermatozoa at (2, 4, and 6 min) and acrosomal damage of spermatozoa at (2 and 4 min). The activity of AST, ALT, and ALP enzymes significantly (P<0.05) increased of spermatozoa exposed to 10 min. The prolongation of incubation time at 37°C for up to 8 hours decreased significantly (P<0.05) the percentage of motile spermatozoa, while increased significantly (P<0.05) the percentages of dead spermatozoa, acrosomal damage of spermatozoa and the leakage of AST, ALT, and ALP enzymes released into the extracellular medium at all exposure times of laser irradiation and the control group. With regard to histological changes, most of the seminiferous tubules of the testes appeared normal and few showed necrosis and mild degeneration.