Anaerobic fructolysis, lactic acid and heat production of bull spermatozoa

A comparison has been made of the fructose broken down, lactic acid produced and heat evolved by washed anaerobic bull spermatozoa. On the average, 19·5% more fructose was broken down than lactic acid produced (standard deviation 2·0%, 95% fiducial limits 15·2 and 23·8%). The amount of heat produced by the spermatozoa was on the average only 9·7% more than the heat expected on the basis of the enthalpy change associated with the breakdown of that part, 80·5%, of the fructose which was broken down to lactic acid. The standard deviation of the 9·7% was 3·4 %, with 95% fiducial limits 2·3 and 17·1%. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the metabolic pathways in anaerobic bull spermatozoa.

Purification and characterization of arginine kinase from sea-urchin eggs

In most invertebrates, creatine kinase is replaced by arginine kinase, which catalyzes reversibly the transfer of a phosphate group between adenosine triphosphate and arginine. In sea-urchin larvae, arginine kinase only is expressed whereas in adult sea-urchins both arginine kinase and creatine kinase can be found in the same tissue. In order to study their developmental regulation and properties, we have purified arginine kinase to homogeneity from the eggs of the sea-urchin Paracentrotus lividus. The purification involves ethanol and ammonium sulfate precipitations, followed by an anion-exchange chromatography, an affinity chromatography and a gel filtration. A 500-fold increase in specific activity leads to a specific activity of 360 IU/mg protein at 25 degrees C. Arginine kinase (pI = 5.7) is rapidly and irreversibly inactivated at 45 degrees C. Amino acid composition and Km values (2.08 mM for phospho-L-arginine and 1.25 mM for ADP) are also given. Determination of molecular mass by gel filtration and separation by SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicate that the enzyme is an 81-kDa dimer of two subunits of 42 kDa.

Significance of adenosinetriphosphate in human sperm as clinical parameter

Washed human spermatozoa from 21 individuals with an average motility of 60% (quality index 277 +/- 16) had an endogenous ATP generation of 7.5 +/- 3.4 nmole/10(8) spermatozoa. The ATP concentrations in spermatozoa from 16 patients with severely impaired motility of 26% (quality index 98 +/- 13) was 16.9 +/- 9.9 nmole/10(8) spermatozoa. There was no correlation between ATP content and motility in either group. Sperm penetration into blood serum type AB, Rh-positive, was evaluated using a capillary tube penetration test. The penetration was graded with a maximum score of 14. Spermatozoa with an initial motility of 60% reached a score of 10 +/- 0.7. After addition of 20 mmole of ATP the score was significantly improved to 13 +/- 0.3. Compared with these results spermatozoa with an average motility of 26% reached a score of 4 +/- 1. Exogenous ATP (20 mmole) increased the score to 8 +/- 1.0. In both groups reduced glutathione had a negative effect. Human spermatozoa with high and low motility are capable to synthesize ATP. A dysfunction of the phosphorylating particles in the mitochondria appears not to be associated with low sperm motility.