VGO 511: Veterinary Andrology and Reproductive Techniques (1+1)

Long term storage

LONG TERM STORAGE (CRYOPRESERVATION TECHNIQUE)

• The obvious limitations of fluid storage of semen, whether it may be at ambient or refrigeration temperature, have been over-come by cryopreservation.
• The discovery by Polge and colleagues (Polge et al., 1949) of the cryoprotectant properties of glycerol emphasized the advantages of preserving semen at ultra-low temperatures.

Spermatozoa of many species can be stored at liquid nitrogen temperatures (-196˚C) for indefinite periods and, after thawing, retain relatively high rates of fertility.