Effect of platelet-activating factor on motility, plasmalemma integrity, the process of capacitation and acrosome reaction of fresh and cryopreserved boar spermatozoa.

The aim of the present study was to establish the effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on selected movement parameters, plasmalemma integrity, capacitation process and acrosome reaction in cryopreserved boar spermatozoa. A positive effect of PAF addition to cryopreserved semen on sperm motility was demonstrated, particularly with the application of phospholipid concentration of 1 x 10(-6)M-1 x 10(-5)M. A moderate induction of plasmalemma damage of cryopreserved spermatozoa was observed when PAF was used at a low concentration (1 x 10(-8)M-1 x 10(-7)M). The rate at which PAF induced the process of capacitation was inversely proportional to its concentration in the sample (the highest for the concentration of 1 x 10(-8)M, and the lowest at 1 x 10(-5)M). In turn, the strongest induction of acrosome reaction of spermatozoa was observed in samples with the addition of PAF at a concentration of 1 x 10(-7)M. The results obtained suggest that the application of PAF supplement to post-thawed boar semen can be used as a laboratory test of the ability of spermatozoa to induce the acrosome reaction.