Abstract: 31

CRYOPRESERVATION OF SEMEN FROM THE DRILL BABOON (Mandrillus leucophaeus).

Barbara Durrant^{1 *}, Louisa Cammidge¹ , Sonia Wiley¹ , Inger Carlsson¹ , Petra Wesche¹ , Kara Russ¹
Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species, Zoological Society of San Diego, San Diego, CA ¹

The drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) is the most endangered African primate. Of the 20 individuals in North America, there is only one breeding pair. To ensure their genetic contribution through assisted reproduction, semen was collected weekly and cryopreserved from two non-breeding males. Semen was evaluated, extended with TEST-Yolk buffer, cooled from RT to 4°C and frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor. Glycerol (4% final concentration) was added before (B4) or after (AF) cooling. At thaw (T0), samples were aliquoted into the following treatments: Control, no treatment; DMEM, diluted 1:1 with DMEM/F12 medium; BWW, diluted 1:1 with BWW medium; CDMEM, centrifuged then diluted with DMEM; and CBWW, centrifuged prior to dilution with BWW. At ejaculation, thaw (T0), and after 30 (T30) and 60 (T60) min 37°C incubation, post-thaw motility and viability by eosin-nigrosin staining were recorded. The effect of 20 mM caffeine was recorded at T0, T30 and T60. Over all post-thaw treatments, glycerol addition time (B4 or AF) did not significantly affect post-thaw sperm motility or viability at any time period. The addition of caffeine resulted in significant motility enhancement at each time period (p<.05). Although there was no significant interaction between time of glycerol addition and caffeine motility enhancement, samples glycerolated before cooling exhibited the greatest response to caffeine. Control and CDMEM post-thaw treatments were similar and resulted in greater (p<.05) motility at T30 than all other treatments, but the differences were not significant at T60. Viability was higher in Control samples than CDMEM at T60 (p<.01). These results demonstrate that drill semen can successfully be cryopreserved using a simple cooling and thawing technique.

    This abstract is being presented on Sunday, August 1 at 8:00 AM to 10:15 AM at CUB 2nd Floor Ballroom.