Name: collection of post-mating semen from the female reproductive tract and measurement of semen liquefaction in mice
Uploaded: 2017-11-18T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Collection of Post-mating Semen from the Female Reproductive Tract and Measurement of Semen Liquefaction in Mice at JoVE.com

This work is supported by College of Veterinary Medicine (WSU) start-up fund to WW. The authors thank Sierra Olsen (WSU) for critical reading of this manuscript.

All animals and procedures used in this study were handled according to Washington State University (WSU) Animal Care and Use Committee guidelines and in compliance with WSU-approved animal protocols #4702 and #4735.
1. Mice
<ol>
	<li>Use standard C57BL/6J adult male mice or other strains of interest. Maintain animals under a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment, with ad libitum access of water and food.
	<ol>
		<li>Use male breeders ranging from 8 weeks...

<ol>
	<li>Suarez, S. S., Pacey, A. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sperm+transport+in+the+female+reproductive+tract.">Sperm transport in the female reproductive tract.</a> Hum Reprod Update. 12 (1), 23-37 (2006).</li><li>Bedford, J. M., Yanagimachi, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Initiation+of+sperm+motility+after+mating+in+the+rat+and+hamster.">Initiation of sperm motility after mating in the rat and hamster.</a> J Androl. 13 (5), 444-449 (1992).</li><li>Lilja, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+biology+of+semenogelin.">Cell biology of semenogelin.</a> Andrologia. 22 Suppl 1, 132-141 (1990).</li><li>Lilja, H., Abrahamsson, P. A., Lundwall, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Semenogelin,+the+predominant+protein+in+human+semen.+Primary+structure+and+identification+of+closely+related+proteins+in+the+male+accessory+sex+glands+and+on+the+spermatozoa.">Semenogelin, the predominant protein in human semen. Primary structure and identification of closely related proteins in the male accessory sex glands and on the spermatozoa.</a> J Biol Chem. 264 (3), 1894-1900 (1989).</li><li>Veveris-Lowe, T. L., Kruger, S. J., Walsh, T., Gardiner, R. A., Clements, J. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Seminal+fluid+characterization+for+male+fertility+and+prostate+cancer:+kallikrein-related+serine+proteases+and+whole+proteome+approaches.">Seminal fluid characterization for male fertility and prostate cancer: kallikrein-related serine proteases and whole proteome approaches.</a> Semin Thromb Hemost. (33), 87-99 (2007).</li><li>Emami, N., Deperthes, D., Malm, J., Diamandis, E. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Major+role+of+human+KLK14+in+seminal+clot+liquefaction.">Major role of human KLK14 in seminal clot liquefaction.</a> J Biol Chem. 283 (28), 19561-19569 (2008).</li><li>Gerhard, I., Roth, B., Eggert-Kruse, W., Runnebaum, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effects+of+kallikrein+on+sperm+motility,+capillary+tube+test,+and+pregnancy+rate+in+an+AIH+program.">Effects of kallikrein on sperm motility, capillary tube test, and pregnancy rate in an AIH program.</a> Arch Androl. 24 (2), 129-145 (1990).</li><li>Li, S., Garcia, M., Gewiss, R. L., Winuthayanon, W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Crucial+role+of+estrogen+for+the+mammalian+female+in+regulating+semen+coagulation+and+liquefaction+in+vivo.">Crucial role of estrogen for the mammalian female in regulating semen coagulation and liquefaction in vivo.</a> PLoS Genet. 13 (4), e1006743 (2017).</li><li>Elia, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+semen+hyperviscosity:+prevalence,+pathogenesis+and+therapeutic+aspects.">Human semen hyperviscosity: prevalence, pathogenesis and therapeutic aspects.</a> Asian J Androl. 11 (5), 609-615 (2009).</li><li>Winuthayanon, W., Hewitt, S. C., Orvis, G. D., Behringer, R. R., Korach, K. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Uterine+epithelial+estrogen+receptor+alpha+is+dispensable+for+proliferation+but+essential+for+complete+biological+and+biochemical+responses.">Uterine epithelial estrogen receptor alpha is dispensable for proliferation but essential for complete biological and biochemical responses.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 107 (45), 19272-19277 (2010).</li><li>McLean, A. C., Valenzuela, N., Fai, S., Bennett, S. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Performing+vaginal+lavage,+crystal+violet+staining,+and+vaginal+cytological+evaluation+for+mouse+estrous+cycle+staging+identification.">Performing vaginal lavage, crystal violet staining, and vaginal cytological evaluation for mouse estrous cycle staging identification.</a> J Vis Exp. (67), e4389 (2012).</li><li>JoVE Science Education Database. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lab+Animal+Research.+Fundamentals+of+Breeding+and+Weaning.">Lab Animal Research. Fundamentals of Breeding and Weaning.</a> JoVE. , (2017).</li><li>Prassas, I., Eissa, A., Poda, G., Diamandis, E. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Unleashing+the+therapeutic+potential+of+human+kallikrein-related+serine+proteases.">Unleashing the therapeutic potential of human kallikrein-related serine proteases.</a> Nat Rev Drug Discov. 14 (3), 183-202 (2015).</li><li>Muytjens, C. M., Vasiliou, S. K., Oikonomopoulou, K., Prassas, I., Diamandis, E. 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Collecting semen from mouse uteri can provide advantages over semen analysis in vitro as the former can illustrate the physiological interactions between the semen and the secretions from the female reproductive tract. The techniques presented in this study allow researchers to determine semen quality as well as sperm viability and motility in ideal physiological conditions. Moreover, there are various downstream analyses that can be performed using the semen collected from the uteri, for example, the s...

The female reproductive tract is comprised of the upper and lower tracts. The upper reproductive tract includes Fallopian tubes, the uterus, and the endocervix. The lower reproductive tract includes the ectocervix and the vagina. In humans, the ejaculated semen is deposited at the anterior wall of the vagina, adjacent to the ectocervix1. In mice, however, the semen is swept into the uterus within minutes after mating2.
Semen contains seminal gel that is solidified within seconds of ejaculation, causing the sperm to be entrapped and immobilized3. Liquefaction releases the immobilized sperm by changing semen from a gel-like to a watery consistency. This process is essential for sperm motility and mammalian reproduction. Knowledge of semen liquefaction is mostly based on in vitro studies where semen becomes liquefied in a culture dish. In humans, the enzymatic activity of prostate specific antigen or PSA (also known as kallikrein-related peptidase 3 or KLK3) is the major contributor for liquefaction through hydrolysis of semenogelins (gel-forming proteins present in the semen)4,5,6. Degradation of semenogelins liberates the sperm from the seminal coagulum, increasing sperm mobility. Freed sperm swim toward the Fallopian tube to fertilize the egg. Liquefaction (or semen viscosity) tests are one of the standard initial screenings for semen analysis in fertility clinics to assess male fertility7.
A recently published article shows that analysis of seminal fluid collected from the female mouse reproductive tract post-mating can be used to illustrate a deficiency in liquefaction that can subsequently cause fertility defects8. Defective liquefaction such as semen hyperviscosity contributes to 11.8-32.3% of infertile cases in men9, suggesting that normal liquefaction is indispensable for mammalian reproduction. However, studies and treatment of liquefaction defects have focused exclusively on the male7. The possibility that the female reproductive tract plays a role in semen liquefaction has not been explored. Therefore, the methods for semen collection and measuring liquefaction time will provide researchers a novel diagnostic tool to determine whether liquefaction could be one of the causes of infertility in the model organism of interest.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="571">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:215px;">Toothpick</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Diamond</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">750-Flat</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Autoclaved sterile, use blunted toothpick. Do not use point-ended</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:215px;">Dissecting scissors</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">08-940</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:215px;">Spring scissors</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Roboz</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">RS-5600</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:215px;">Fine forceps</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Roboz</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">RS-5045</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:215px;">25-&#956;L glass capillary tube</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">53432-761</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:215px;">Leibovitz&#8217;s L-15 media</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Life Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">11415064</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Supplement with 1% FBS</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:215px;">Fetal bovine serum (FBS)</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Gemini Bio-Products</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">100-106</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:215px;">1.5-mL microcentrifuge tube</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Axygen</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">MCT-150-C</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:215px;">2-mL microcentrifuge tube</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Axygen</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">MCT-200-A</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="84">
			<td height="84" style="height:84px;width:215px;">Digital dry block heater</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">13259-052</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">For warming the microcentrifuge tube prior to semen collection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:215px;">Minicentrifuge</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Corning</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">LSE 6765</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:215px;">35-mm culture dish</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">10861-656</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:215px;">15-mL polypropylene centrifuge tube</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">10025-686</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:215px;">Waterbath</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Precision</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">TSGP05</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:215px;">Heated stage stereomicroscope</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Leica Microsystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">MZ10F</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">To keep the tissue warm prior to semen collection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:215px;">Brightfield microscope</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Leica Microsystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">DMi8</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Optional. For video imaging of the sperm motility</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:215px;">Camera</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Leica Microsystems</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">DMC2900</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Optional. For video imaging of the sperm motility</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:215px;">Glass slides</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">12-552-3</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Optional. For video imaging of the sperm motility</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:215px;">Coverslip</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">48393-059</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Optional. For video imaging of the sperm motility</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="46">
			<td height="46" style="height:46px;width:215px;">Bleach</td>
			<td style="width:71px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Dilute in dH2O to 10% concentration</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

collection of post-mating semen from the female reproductive tract and measurement of semen liquefaction in mice

In mice, ejaculated semen is deposited in the uterus. After ejaculation, the semen changes consistency from gel-like to watery, a process called liquefaction. In this study, we show how to collect the post-ejaculated semen from the female reproductive tract in a mouse model. First, adult female mice in the estrus stage were housed in a male&#39;s cage overnight. The next morning, copulation was confirmed by the presence of copulatory plug at the vaginal opening. Female mice with copulatory plugs were euthanized, and each reproductive tract was collected as a whole (vagina, uterus, oviducts, ovaries), ensuring a closed system to contain the semen. The reproductive tract was placed in a 1.5 mL microcentrifuge tube, and the vagina was cut off to release the semen into the tube. To ensure maximum semen volume for analysis, toothless forceps were used to squeeze the uterine horns from ovarian end to vaginal end expelling remaining semen. The whole reproductive tract was then discarded. The semen-containing tube was briefly spun down. A 25 &#956;L capillary pipette was placed into the tube at a 180&#176; angle (parallel to the tube wall). The amount of time used to fill the capillary tube to the 25 &#956;L line was recorded. Semen from a proven male breeder usually takes approximately 60-180 s to fill a 25 &#956;L capillary tube. This semen collection technique can also be used in other downstream applications such as sperm imaging and motility analysis.

Semen was collected from CTRL and KO females approximately 8 h after mating with fertile CTRL males. Liquefaction (or semen viscosity) is quantified by the time taken to fill 25 &#956;L capillary tube with semen. Semen collected from CTRL uteri took 2.06 &#177;0.12 min (mean&#177;S.E.M, n = 5) to fill the capillary tube (Figure 1). However, the semen collected from KO uteri took longer than 60 min (60.0 &#177;0.0, mean&#177;S.E.M, n = 5) of experimental time. These data sug...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Collection of Post-mating Semen from the Female Reproductive Tract and Measurement of Semen Liquefaction in Mice at JoVE.com

Collection of Post-mating Semen from the Female Reproductive Tract and Measurement of Semen Liquefaction in Mice

Semen liquefaction is required for sperm to be liberated from the seminal gel. This study provides the procedures for collecting semen from the female reproductive tract post-coitus, and measuring semen liquefaction time.

In mice, ejaculated semen is deposited in the uterus. After ejaculation, the semen changes consistency from gel-like to watery, a process called ...

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