Factors Influencing Metabolic Activity of Bull Spermatozoa. III. pH

Abstract

Bull semen was diluted 1:4 with a solution containing Na, K, and Mg chlorides, and the buffer composed entirely of Na phosphates combined to provide a pH range from 5 to 8. The pH per se did not influence the respiratory quotients obtained, nor was there a marked effect of pH on O2 uptake of the sperm cells, though it tended to be highest at the higher pH levels. However, pH did influence markedly aerobic fructolysis; the higher the pH, the greater the rate and the greater the lactic acid produced in excess of fructose utilization. A highly significant pH X ejaculate interaction was found for each of the metabolic measures, except for R.Q. values, a large part of the variance of which was associated with the individual ejaculates.