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Phospholipid Composition of Epididymal Spermatozoa prepared by Density Gradient Centrifugation

Abstract

THE phospholipids of ejaculated ram spermatozoa contain approximately equal amounts of choline plasmalogen and lecithin1, whereas rat spermatozoa from the vas deferens and ejaculated rabbit spermatozoa have much more lecithin than choline plasmalogen2. In ram spermatozoa the fatty acids from this choline plasmalogen are probably oxidized as an endogenous substrate in the absence of the naturally occurring hexose, that is, fructose3. In a previous investigation it was shown that in crude preparations of rat spermatozoa obtained from different parts of the epididymis there were significant differences in the concentrations of phospholipids2. Thus the amount of choline plasmalogen per 108 spermatozoa was three to four times greater in ‘Spermatozoa’ obtained from the tail of the epididymis than from the head, and it was concluded that rat spermatozoa acquire tnis phospho-lipid during their passage through the much convoluted ductus epididymis. In contrast, the concentrations of lecithin and phosphatidylethanolamine were two to three times higher in ‘spermatozoa’ obtained from the head of the epididymis than from the tail. However, in these investigations the spermatozoal preparations, particularly from the head region, were contaminated with epididymal tissue debris and it could not be decided with certainty whether the differences in lecithin and phosphatidylethanolamine were due to phospholipids from the epididymal tissue contaminating the spermatozoal preparations.

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References

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DAWSON, R., SCOTT, T. Phospholipid Composition of Epididymal Spermatozoa prepared by Density Gradient Centrifugation. Nature 202, 292–293 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/202292a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/202292a0

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