A semi-immobilizing system associated with microspectrofluorimetric and videoimaging analysis for intracytoplasmic calcium measurement in individual viable spermatozoa

J Biotechnol. 2008 Jan 1;133(1):90-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2007.09.011. Epub 2007 Sep 25.

Abstract

We describe a fast and simple method to monitor variations of intracytoplasmic calcium concentrations in very small and motile cells such as mammalian spermatozoa during measurement time. The method combines a procedure of sperm cells semi-immobilization with microspectrofluorimetric measurement of intracytoplasmic calcium concentrations supported by videoimaging that allows also a constant monitoring of viability during the time of calcium recording. In this paper we show that a semi-immobilization of individual viable spermatozoa can be obtained preparing the agar matrix in a two step procedure. The cell immobilizing system proposed, associated with the microspectrofluorimetric analysis supported by videoimaging, is a simple, rapid and useful tool for those studies having the goal of correlating the presence and cellular distribution of ion channels with their functional status and their response to physiologic and/or pharmacological molecules.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Cell Separation / methods
  • Cell Survival
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cells, Immobilized / physiology
  • Flow Cytometry / methods*
  • Horses
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Microscopy, Video / methods*
  • Spermatozoa / cytology*
  • Spermatozoa / metabolism*

Substances

  • Calcium