Effect of Egg Sulpholipid on Respiration of Sea Urchin Spermatozoa

Abstract

VARIOUS substances have been reported to activate sea urchin spermatozoa, and to increase either their respiration or motility. It has been reported that sea urchin spermatozoa treated with jelly coat solution, that is, the so-called fertilizin, show an outburst of motility¹ and an increase of oxygen consumption². Hathaway obtained an egg substance from Arbacia eggs free of jelly which increased sperm respiration and motility to a great extent. This substance was reported to be diffusible on dialysis, soluble in alcohol, heat stable and non-volatile³. Mohri⁴, however, reported that 0.5 per cent soy bean lecithin or egg lecithin increased the oxygen uptake when these substances were added after 90 min of incubation. He also found a great increase of respiration by octanoate but little effect by glucose and fructose, and it was suggested that, unlike mammalian spermatozoa which preferentially utilize carbohydrates as energy source, the activity of sea urchin spermatozoa depends on a non-glycolytic, presumably lipid metabolism, because a considerable decrease of endogenous phospholipids was also observed during ageing⁴.