The metabolism of ram spermatozoa in the presence of genital fluids of the ewe
Wales, R.G.; Restall, B.J.
Australian Journal of Biological Sciences 19(1): 199-209
1966
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-9417 PMID: 5916756 Accession: 014755761
The metabolism of washed ram spermatozoa has been studied in the presence of fluids collected from the genital tract of the ewe. The presence of cervi-covaginal, uterine, tubal, and follicular fluids increased oxygen uptake in saline alone. Stimulation of oxygen uptake above controls did not occur when glucose was added to the incubation medium, indicating that the increase observed was due to the presence of substrate in the fluids. In the presence of added glucose, however, vaginal, tubal, and follicular fluid stimulated aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis. The effect was abolished by dialysis. The metabolism of spermatozoa incubated in the presence of the genital fluids was not significantly affected by the presence or absence of carbon dioxide. Neither oxygen uptake nor substrate oxidation were affected. There was a slight reduction in the utilization of glucose in the presence of carbon dioxide but this occurred whether or not the fluids were added to the incubation medium.