Development of sperm separation to improve the reproductive performance of cattle

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H04585
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Animal production science
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: YAMASHITA Kenichi 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, エレクトロニクス・製造領域, 研究グループ長 (90358250)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 阪谷 美樹 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 畜産研究部門, 上級研究員 (00355687) ; 山中 賢一 佐賀大学, 農学部, 准教授 (40572920)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 家畜繁殖 / 不妊治療 / 人工授精 / 体外受精 / 受精卵移植 / 流体工学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our research focused on sperm manipulation to improve the reproductive performance of cattle. Our experiments were conducted based on preceeding studies on infertility treatment of humans by relying on the advantages of motile spermatozoa, that is, by being able to swim around and against the flow of solution, and considering such quality as an attribute of healthy and physiologically functional spermatozoa. We succeeded in collecting the number of spermatozoa that can be used for artificial insemination for the first time, and obtained good conception results in the field trial. In addition, the field trial clarifies the property of sperm advantageous to conception to be linked to the trajectory. Moreover, we studied the scientific evidences of good fertility by analyzing collected sperm and in vitro fertilization.

Free Research Field

化学工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

家畜の繁殖性改善は、畜産業の生産性向上による食糧供給の安定化とともに、地方の産業振興やバイオエコノミーとしての位置づけなど、幅広い意義を持つ。この研究では、牛の繁殖性の改善につながる精子の性状を、泳ぎの形で「見える化」するとともに、泳ぎの形ごとに分ける技術も開発した。ここで得られた知見は、繁殖用精液の改善の方向性を示すとともに、その精子の質的健全性から、体外受精などの成績改善につながるものと期待される。