About KV-lab

The sperm laboratory

Our sperm laboratory is Sweden’s only reference laboratory for sperm from various domestic animals and we receive samples for semen examinations (morphology, functional tests, etc).

We conduct morphological examinations of semen samples from all domestic animals (especially boar, bull, stallion, dog, cat and ram). After contact has been made with the semen laboratory, sampling material is sent out to semen collection centres for bulls and boars, and to practising veterinarians.

By agreement, the sperm laboratory also conducts out semen examinations for other species, to a limited extent. For research purposes, several special examinations are also conducted in addition to the morphological examinations.

Morphological laboratory

Histological preparations (for the most part, paraffin) are prepared at the morphological laboratory, mainly from various research projects. The material comes from various animal species and from different types of tissue.

We also accept genitalia for autopsy, primarily from pigs and cattle. This takes place in connection with herd investigations in teaching but also in other investigations, mainly in collaboration with the Swedish Animal Health Service.
If autopsy cases are submitted, the department must be informed in advance. Sampling material can then be sent out to the slaughterhouses so that the material gets handled properly.

Metabolic laboratory

At our metabolic laboratory, we analyze a variety of metabolites and proteins in blood and tissue samples from various animal species - both biochemically and histochemically. Technologies such as HPLC, ELISA and fluorometry are used to analyze samples both for research purposes and as an external service. We also set up new analyzes upon request.

Molecular Biology / Flow Cytometry

In our service operation, we also use molecular biological methods to study gene and protein expression in various tissues from animals. We make use of, for example, real-time PCR to study gene expression, but also help extract RNA from tissue samples. The potential presence of viruses can also be analyzed in samples from animals upon request.

Protein expression can be studied by gel electrophoresis and Western blot. Immunohistochemistry is used to detect various proteins/immunoreactivity in tissue samples and with our confocal microscope. The presence and localization of various proteins in a cell and/or tissue can be investigated in more detail.

We can also perform studies on cells with flow cytometry.