Chemical and Physical Properties of Semen 



500 



53 



400 



300 



O 



200 



100 



-• Fructose 



o o Glucose 



X X Na-lactate 



180 



210 240 



90 120 150 



Incubation (min.) 

 Fig. 10. Effect of fructose, glucose and lactate on the respiration of washed 

 ram spermatozoa (the same effect was obtained also with acetate and 

 pyruvate); oxygen uptake of 3 ml. buffered suspension of 0-45x10^ 

 spermatozoa. 



(Mann & Lutwak-Mann, 1948) 



often produces a prompt and marked rise in the initial rate of O2 

 uptake. In our experience, however, the addition of organic acid 

 salts to washed suspensions of mammalian spermatozoa, does not 

 lead necessarily to an actual increase in the initial O2 uptake but 

 instead, these substances act by maintaining and prolonging the 

 initial rate of respiration, thereby delaying the decline in Oo con- 

 sumption which would set in otherwise (Mann, 1949). Furthermore, 

 by adding the same substances to respiring suspensions of washed 

 mammalian sperm at a stage when the respiration had already begun 

 to decline, one can prevent a further deterioration in the rate of O2 

 consumption. 



