TÜRKÇE
ENGLISH
Information
| Unit | INSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES |
| ZOOTECHNICS (MASTER) (WITH THESIS) | |
| Code | ZO697 |
| Name | Evaluation and Cryopreservation of Honey Bee Sperm |
| Term | 2026-2027 Academic Year |
| Term | Fall |
| Duration (T+A) | 2-2 (T-A) (17 Week) |
| ECTS | 6 ECTS |
| National Credit | 3 National Credit |
| Teaching Language | Türkçe |
| Level | Yüksek Lisans Dersi |
| Type | Normal |
| Mode of study | Yüz Yüze Öğretim |
| Catalog Information Coordinator | Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Ali Galip ÖNAL |
| Course Instructor |
The current term course schedule has not been prepared yet.
|
Course Goal / Objective
The aim of this course is to provide students with practical competence in the collection and laboratory standardization of honey bee (Apis mellifera) drone sperm, reliable assessment of key quality parameters (concentration, motility, viability, and functional integrity), and the implementation of spermatheca-like storage and cryopreservation workflows (cooling–freezing–thawing).
Course Content
This course focuses on the collection, standardization, evaluation, and cryopreservation of honey bee (Apis mellifera) drone sperm under laboratory conditions. Topics include semen acceptance criteria, sample handling and quality control (temperature, pH, osmolality), concentration and motility assessment, and functional testing such as viability, membrane integrity, and—when applicable—acrosome/mitochondrial function and DNA integrity. The course also covers short- to mid-term storage strategies that mimic spermathecal conditions, selection of extenders and cryoprotectants, principles and protocols of cooling–freezing–thawing, post-thaw quality assessment, documentation and traceability for reproducible reporting, and systematic troubleshooting of common issues (contamination, pH drift, poor post-thaw viability/motility) through practical case-based exercises.
Course Precondition
YOK
Resources
Laidlaw, H.H. & Page, R.E. — Instrumental Insemination of Honey Bee Queens Winston, M.L. — The Biology of the Honey Bee
Notes
Laidlaw, H.H. & Page, R.E. — Instrumental Insemination of Honey Bee Queens Winston, M.L. — The Biology of the Honey Bee
Course Learning Outcomes
| Order | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| LO01 | Collect drone semen correctly, apply acceptance criteria, and prevent/identify contamination. |
| LO02 | Measure motility and concentration using standardized methods and perform accurate dilution/dose calculation |
| LO03 | Select and implement spermatheca-like storage conditions (pH, osmolality, O₂/CO₂ management). |
| LO04 | Perform and QC key functional assays (live/dead, membrane integrity, and—when feasible—mitochondrial function). |
| LO05 | Execute cryopreservation workflows (CPA selection/equilibration, freezing–thawing), assess post-thaw quality, and report results. |
Relation with Program Learning Outcome
| Order | Type | Program Learning Outcomes | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLO01 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | After undergraduate education, increases knowledge in one of the fields of animal breeding and breeding, feeds and animal nutrition, biometrics and genetics. | 3 |
| PLO02 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Understands the interaction between different disciplines | 3 |
| PLO03 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Gains the ability to develop strategic approaches and produce regional, national or international solutions for the field of animal science | 3 |
| PLO04 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Zootekni bilimindeki verileri kullanarak bilimsel yöntemlerle bilgiyi geliştirebilme, bilimsel, toplumsal ve etik sorumluluk bilinci ile bu bilgileri kullanabilme becerisini kazanır | 3 |
| PLO05 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Gains the ability to use and develop information technologies with computer software and hardware knowledge required by the field of animal science. | |
| PLO06 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Gains the ability to convey their own studies or current developments in the field of animal science to groups in the field or other fields of science, verbally and visually. | 3 |
| PLO07 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Gains the ability to evaluate the quality processes of animal products | 3 |
| PLO08 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Gains the ability to keep animal production dynamic in accordance with changing economic and social conditions. | |
| PLO09 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Gains the ability to follow national and international current issues, to follow developments in lifelong learning, science and technology, to constantly renew themselves and to transfer innovations to animal production. | 3 |
| PLO10 | Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal | Absorbs the relationship between animal products and human health and community welfare |
Week Plan
| Week | Topic | Preparation | Methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honey bee reproduction and sperm biology (drone–queen, spermatheca physiology) | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Ödev |
| 2 | Ethics/biosafety, standard record forms, sample traceability | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Ödev |
| 3 | Semen collection (mucus contamination, volume, temperature management) | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Ödev |
| 4 | Basic semen parameters: volume–concentration–contamination criteria | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Ödev |
| 5 | Motility assessment standardization (heated stage, video capture, scoring) | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Ödev |
| 6 | Concentration calculations (hemocytometer/photometric) + dilution design Week 7: Live/dead staining (SYBR/PI or alternatives) + counting QC | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Ödev |
| 7 | Live/dead staining (SYBR/PI or alternatives) + counting QC | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Ödev |
| 8 | Mid-Term Exam | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Ödev, Sözlü Sınav |
| 9 | Membrane function (HOST adaptation) + morphology | Course Sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Soru-Cevap, Alıştırma ve Uygulama |
| 10 | Storage biology: spermatheca-like medium, pH–osmolality–O₂/CO₂ conditions | Course Sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Soru-Cevap, Alıştırma ve Uygulama |
| 11 | Cryobiology fundamentals: CPAs, cooling rate, ice/osmotic injury | Course Sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Soru-Cevap, Alıştırma ve Uygulama |
| 12 | Freezing protocols (straw/capillary/mini-tube), box-freezing vs programmable freezing | Course Sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Soru-Cevap, Alıştırma ve Uygulama |
| 13 | Post-thaw testing + “gentle selection” (gradient/swim-down) | Course Sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Soru-Cevap, Alıştırma ve Uygulama |
| 14 | Student mini-projects + SOP/report presentations | Course Sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Soru-Cevap, Alıştırma ve Uygulama |
| 15 | Student mini-projects 2 + SOP/report presentations | Course Sources | Öğretim Yöntemleri: Soru-Cevap, Alıştırma ve Uygulama |
| 16 | Term Exams | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Sözlü Sınav, Ödev |
| 17 | Term Exams | Course Sources | Ölçme Yöntemleri: Sözlü Sınav, Ödev |
Student Workload - ECTS
| Works | Number | Time (Hour) | Workload (Hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Related Works | |||
| Class Time (Exam weeks are excluded) | 14 | 4 | 56 |
| Out of Class Study (Preliminary Work, Practice) | 14 | 1 | 14 |
| Assesment Related Works | |||
| Homeworks, Projects, Others | 3 | 24 | 72 |
| Mid-term Exams (Written, Oral, etc.) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Final Exam | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Workload (Hour) | 144 | ||
| Total Workload / 25 (h) | 5,76 | ||
| ECTS | 6 ECTS | ||