Vol. LII 



April, 1927 



No. 4 



- 



BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 





A LIPO-GEL REACTION EXERTED BY FOLLICULAR 



FLUID UPON SPERMATOZOA AND ITS SIG- 

 NIFICANCE (LILLIE'S REACTION). 



GREGOR T. POPA,' 



UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST, ROUMANIA. 



I. Introduction 223 



II. Material and methods ... 223 



III. Experiments 224 



IV. The physiological significance of LilHe's reaction 234 



I. INTRODUCTION. 



Some time ago Professor F. R. Lillie observed that when 

 sperm suspensions are mixed with follicular fluid taken from the 

 Graafian follicles a coagulum is obtained (unpublished). As this 

 phenomenon may be significant for the process of fertilization, 

 Professor Lillie suggested that I study the reaction and determine 

 the exact conditions under which it appears. I desire to express 

 my thanks to Professor Lillie for suggesting this subject of 

 research and for placing at my disposal the facilities of the 

 zoological laboratories of the University of Chicago. 



II. MATERIALS AND METHODS. 



Several species were used in the study, chiefly cattle and 

 sheep: Fresh organs obtained at the slaughter-houses oTSwift 

 and Company, Chicago, 2 were always employed. For com- 

 parison material was also taken from the goat, opossum, pig, 

 and guinea-pig. The testes and ovaries were usually taken from 



1 From the Hull Zoological Laboratory and Whitman Laboratory for Experi- 

 mental Zoology, University of Chicago. 



2 The author wishes to show his thanks to the officers of Swift and Co., who 

 provided the material necessary for this work. 



15 223 



