Metabolism of Semen After Freezing [[ . The Aerobic Metabolism of Ram Spermatozoa Before and After Storage at ?79°C

Abstract

The metabolism of ram spermatozoa, incubated at 37°0 shortly after ejacula-tion and after storage overnight at -79°0, was examined using various combinations of fructose, sodium lactate, sodium acetate, and sodium salts of citric acid cycle intermediates. Although freezing depressed all indices of cell metabolism, there were few qualitative differences between the metabolism by fresh or thawed semen of the various substrates. The increased oxygen uptake of thawed spermatozoa on addition of succinate was unrelated to motility and to other parameters of metabolism.