The Metabolism of Ram Spermatozoa in the Presence of Genital Fluids of the Ewe

Abstract

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 cervicovaginal, uterine, tubal, and follicular fluids increased oxygen uptake by spermatozoa when compared with their 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.