STUDIES OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE MAJOR CATIONS IN SEMEN AND MALE ACCESSORY SECRETIONS

Abstract

The atomic absorption spectrophotometer provides a simple and easy method for determining sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in whole semen, spermatozoa and seminal plasma. Analyses of ram, human, dog, rabbit and fowl semen all reveal a reciprocal relation of K to Na in the spermatozoa and seminal plasma. The high K and low Na concentration of the spermatozoa, coupled with a low K and high Na concentration in the seminal plasma, suggest the operation of a Na pump mechanism in spermatozoa similar to that postulated for erythrocytes. The Mg concentration of the spermatozoa always exceeded that of the seminal plasma, while the same is true for Ca, except in the bull where the seminal plasma has an exceptionally high Ca content. The distribution of cations between the epididymal spermatozoa and epididymal plasma in the ram and bull is, in general, similar to that between ejaculated spermatozoa and seminal plasma. However, there were substantial differences in absolute values: the Na concentration of epididymal ram spermatozoa was half that of the ejaculated cells and the K concentration about double.