Some amino acids (AAs), particularly l-glutamine (l-Gln), have been employed in sperm cryopreservation for mammalian species. However, no studies have been published on boar sperm cryopreservation using AA. Therefore, the objectives of the following experimentswere to evaluate l-Gln as a freezing extender ingredient for cryopreserving boar sperm. We hypothesized that l-Gln would improve the cryosurvival of boar sperm when used in the freezing extender either as an additive to or a replacement for glycerol or EY. The results suggest l-Gln does have the ability to cryoprotect boar sperm, which was particularly shown by an enhancement of post-thaw sperm motility. However, the cryoprotective effect is dependent on the glycerol concentration of the freezing extender, and is only evident when the glycerol concentration is lowered. Additional studies will be required to elucidate the specific cryoprotective mechanisms of l-Gln for boar sperm, which could be different from those suggested for the sperm of other mammalian species.

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