Updated project metadata. Cryoinjury and protein changes are a consequence of cryopreservation and may have a negative impact on sperm quality regarding motility, viability and fertilizing ability. However, potential proteomic changes in rabbit semen throughout the cryopreservation process have never been investigated previously. The aim of the present study was to compare the whole proteome of fresh and cryopreserved rabbit spermatozoa. Comparative analysis and identification of proteins were performed using 2-dimensional difference in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass (MALDI TOF/TOF) spectrometry. We found that 108 proteins differed in abundance in spermatozoa between fresh and frozen semen. Most of these proteins was involved in pathways related to energy metabolism and protein quality control under stress conditions, reproductive processes and mechanisms of cell death/survival regulation, resulting in a significant decrease of motility and viability of post-thawing rabbit sperm and its potential fertilizing ability.