The Assessment of Sperm DNA Integrity: Implications for Assisted Reproductive Technology Fertility Outcomes across Livestock Species

Maya J Robertson; Caitlin Chambers; Eloise A Spanner; Simon P de Graaf; Jessica P Rickard

doi:10.3390/biology13070539

The Assessment of Sperm DNA Integrity: Implications for Assisted Reproductive Technology Fertility Outcomes across Livestock Species

Biology (Basel). 2024 Jul 17;13(7):539. doi: 10.3390/biology13070539.

Authors

Maya J Robertson¹, Caitlin Chambers¹, Eloise A Spanner¹, Simon P de Graaf¹, Jessica P Rickard¹

Affiliation

¹ Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

Abstract

Sperm DNA integrity is increasingly considered a useful measure of semen quality in mammalian reproduction. However, the definition of DNA integrity, the ideal means by which it should be measured, and its predictive value for fertility remain a topic of much discussion. With an emphasis on livestock species, this review discusses the assays that have been developed to measure DNA integrity as well as their correlation with in vitro and in vivo fertility.

Keywords: DNA; artificial reproductive technologies; chromatin; fertility; livestock; sperm.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

Dr J. P. Rickard was supported by funding from the McCaughey Memorial Institute and Ms. M. J. Robertson was supported by the Australian Wool Education Trust (AWET).