Date of Award:

5-1-1983

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Biology

Department name when degree awarded

Life Sciences:Biology

Committee Chair(s)

Elizabeth Boeker, James Gessaman

Committee

Elizabeth Boeker

Committee

James Gessaman

Committee

Abraham T. K. Cockett

Abstract

It was the purpose of this study to examine various characteristics of the sperm and surrounding fluids in the testis, cauda epididymis and vas deferens in the adult ram, with an emphasis on prostaglandins, phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and cyclic nucleotides. Cannulas were placed into these three areas of 16 mature rams and samples were collected in a vial sutured to the scrotum of each animal. The data indicate a high degree of fluid reabsorption as the epididymis is traversed, resulting in an elevated sperm concentration in the distal regions. In addition, the number of sperm collected per day from each area indicates a significant reabsorption in the vas deferens. Protein concentrations in the sperm decrease slightly while the amount of protein in the surrounding fluids decreases greatly during epididymal transit. Sperm collected from the rete testis show a higher degree of trypan blue staining than sperm from the more distal regions, indicating a change in the sperm cell membrane during transit. This is accompanied by a decrease in the pH of the fluids. In order to study the PLA2 activity in these samples a rapid simple radiometric assay for PLA2 was developed. PLA2 activity was shown to be selectively removed from the sperm as it moves to the distal regions of the ram reproductive tract. However, the loss of enzyme activity from the surrounding fluids was not selective and followed the decrease seen in total protein content. The prostaglandin concentrations (PGE and PGF2α ) were found to increase significantly in the distal regions; PGE predominated over PGF2α. Similarly both cAMP ·and cGMP concentrations increase distally; cAMP predominated. Upon incubation of washed sperm with exogenous PGE2 an increase of cAMP content was noted only in sperm from the vas deferens.

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