Usability of the hypoosmotic swelling "Water-test"--a simple method to assess sperm membrane integrity in mouse spermatozoa.

The functional integrity of the membrane of sperm from 3 strains of mice (BALB/c, CBA/KW, and C57BL/KW) was assessed by studying the swelling reaction of the sperm when suspended in a medium of distilled water. The results were correlated with analysis of sperm motility and those of Eosin-Y staining. The results obtained from the Eosin-Y test and "Water-test" differed (P < 0.01) between strains C57BL/KW and both BALB/C, and CBA/KW. A good correlation was observed in all strains of mice between the values of the "Water-test" and those for Eosin-Y staining (P < 0.01).