BIOLOGY OF SPERMATOZOA 



741 



14 7 



DAYS BEFORE NEXT MENSES 



Fig. 13.11. Cyclical changes in midvagina 

 37 normally menstruating women. (After A, 

 Obst. & Gynec, 47, 467-494, 1944.) 



I i)H. A\erage values of 632 determinations on 

 E. Rakoff, L. G. Feo and L. Goldstein, Am. J. 



able secretory activity (Joel, 1940; Hadek, 

 19oo, IQoSa; Borell, Gustavson, Nilsson and 

 Westman, 1959; Fredricsson, 1959a, b), but 

 little correlation with the behavior of the 

 gametes within the lumen. When the se- 

 cretory history of specific substances has 

 l)een followed, the interest has generally 

 l)een in postfertilization stages, as, for ex- 

 ample, the mucopolysaccharides released 

 into the oviduct of the rabbit several days 

 after ovulation (Greenwald, 1957; Zachariae, 

 1958). 



On the other hand, several studies of the 

 genital fluids afford some data on pH, oxy- 

 gen tension, potassium and sodium ratio, 

 enzyme content, and possible metabolic sub- 

 strates. Warbritton, McKenzie, Berliner and 

 Andrews, (1937) reported that the pH levels 

 of the Fallopian tube, uterine horns, cervix, 

 and vagina of the ewe are, respectively, 6.4 

 to 7.3, 6.6 to 7.3, 6.1 to 7.5, and 6.5 to 7.8. 

 The wide variations to be noted here are 

 more striking than the actual determina- 

 tions. More recently, Blandau, Jensen and 

 Rumery (1958) recorded pH values for the 

 fluid of rat periovarian sac, ampullae, and 

 uteri as follows: 7.7. to 8.4, 7.3 to 8.5, and 

 7.4 to 8.3. There thus appeared little change 

 throughout the tract, but all regions were 

 alkaline with respect to the peritoneal fluid 



and blood. These wide variations and the 

 pronounced alkalinity suggest that the loss 

 of carbon dioxide from the fluids may have 

 been responsible for the high pH values re- 

 ported. 



The oxygen tension of rabbit genital fluids 

 has been determined and found adequate to 

 support aerobic respiration (Bishop, 1957). 

 Uterine values, determined by equilibration, 

 range from 25 to 45 mm. Hg (Campbell, 

 1932 ) . The oxygen tension of Fallopian tubal 

 fluid, measured directly with an oxygen elec- 

 trode, is approximately 40 mm. Hg (Bishop, 

 1956b). Birnberg and Gross (1958), how- 

 ever, claimed that changes in the human 

 Fallopian tube during the ovulatory phase 

 render it anaerobic (determined enzymati- 

 cally) ; if this finding is confirmed, it bears 

 significantly on the anaerobic preferences 

 of hiunan sperm as studied in vitro (see be- 

 low ) . 



Ionic and organic components of the 

 luminal fluids of the cow have been analyzed 

 (Olds and VanDemark, 1957a. b, c; Van- 

 Demark, 1958). The data for follicular, 

 tubal, uterine, and vaginal fluids are pre- 

 sented in Table 13.9. Reducing substances, 

 possibly glucose, were found in uterine fluid 

 but were not detected in oviductal fluid. 

 Shih. Kennedy and Huggins (1940) iiave 



