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STUDIES OF THE METABOLISM OF HUMAN SPERMATOZOA

Summary.: The metabolism of human spermatozoa has been studied using concentrated suspensions of washed cells incubated with radioactive substrates in small Warburg flasks, enabling the oxygen uptake to be measured accurately.

Oxidative metabolism was greater at pH 7·0 than at pH 8·5. Phosphate ions (20 mM) depressed oxidative metabolism at pH 7·0 but increased it at pH 8·5. Fructolysis was stimulated by phosphate ions irrespective of the pH. Phosphate ions decreased the oxidation of lactate and acetate by about the same absolute amount which suggests that it may restrict the entry of acetyl CoA into the Krebs cycle.

Potassium ions (15 mM) increased both fructolysis and oxidative metabolism, and bicarbonate increased the oxygen uptake.

Glucose and fructose were oxidized more readily than acetate, glycerol or sorbitol, but only the polyols significantly increased the oxygen uptake.

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