How osmolality, pH and egg presence may affect spermatozoa motility in Mussismilia harttii
Cruz, Cláudia Kelly Fernandes daCruz, Nayara OliveiraGaluppo, Andrea GiannottiAmaral, Amanda PereiraPastrana, Yugo MoraesBustamante-Filho, Ivan CunhaGodoy, Leandro
Spermatozoa motility initiation have never been investigated in Brazilian corals. This study aimed to evaluate how osmolality, pH and egg presence may affect spermatozoa motility in Mussismilia harttii. Egg-sperm bundles were obtained during the spawning period and used for sperm motility analysis at different osmolality levels (1035, 905, 776 and 646 mOsm/Kg), pHs (from 7.0 to 8.0), cytoplasmic alkalinization and in the presence or absence of eggs. Spermatozoa motility was higher at osmolalities like that of seawater (1035 mOsm/Kg), reaching 97 ± 5.77%, but decreased at lower osmolalities, reaching 8 ± 0.58% at 776 mOsm/Kg and killing the cells at 646 mOsm/Kg. However, when spermatozoa were kept at 776 mOsm/Kg up to 24 h and then reactivated, they maintained their viability for 19 h with 45% of motile cells. The sperm motility was not affected by pHs and the presence of eggs. Our results suggest that osmolality could play a key role in the motility of M. harttii spermatozoa. These observations raise concerns within the context of climate change, since we observed that the sperm cells are dependent on the environment balance to be motile and be able to reach an egg.(AU)
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