Abstract

The physico-chemical changes in spermatozoa that take place during semen processing and storage regulate the fertilising ability of spermatozoa. Spermatozoa1 motil-ity, traditionally used as a marker of fertilising ability, does not indicate the true fertilising ability of spermatozoa (Smithet al., 1993),although motility is required for in vivo fertilisation. In this study we have monitored changes in activities of spermatozoa1 enzymes at various stages of semen processing. In future, these changes could be corre-lated to fertilising ability. It is also anticipated, that the information on these enzymes would improve our under-standing of basic sperm physiology.

JE, Oliver, GC Upreti, DM Duganzich, and JF Smith

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 57, , 251, 1997