COAGULATION AND LIQUEFACTION OF SEMEN : PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES AND CITRATE IN PROSTATIC FLUID

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Hematology
• Urology

Background:

• Human and dog semen exhibit variable effects on blood coagulation.
• Prostatic fluid, particularly from humans, can significantly delay or prevent blood clotting due to high citrate concentrations.
• These effects are attributed to various enzymatic activities and components within seminal and prostatic fluids.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the coagulant and anticoagulant properties of human and dog semen and prostatic fluids.
• To identify the specific agents responsible for these effects on blood coagulation.
• To elucidate the functional significance of proteolytic agents secreted by the prostate gland.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of blood coagulation times upon addition of human and dog semen and prostatic fluids.
• Investigation of the role of calcium ions and citrate in modulating coagulation.
• Assays for thromboplastic activity, fibrinogenolysis, and proteolytic enzymes like fibrinolysin, fibrinogenase, and trypsin.
• Incubation studies with added beef fibrinogen, prothrombin, and thromboplastic substances.

Main Results:

• Human semen contains thromboplastic agents that shorten clotting time, while some samples and prostatic fluid prolong it due to citrate.
• Dog semen primarily shortens clotting time but can also cause incoagulability via fibrinogen lysis, unaffected by calcium.
• Both species' semen contain fibrinolysin and fibrinogenase, with distinct species-specific concentrations, suggesting they are different entities.
• The prostate gland secretes these proteolytic agents, indicating a novel function.

Conclusions:

• Human and dog semen possess complex interactions with blood coagulation, mediated by distinct mechanisms.
• Citrate in human prostatic fluid and some semen inhibits coagulation, while fibrinogenolysis by dog semen is calcium-independent.
• The prostate gland's role extends to secreting diverse proteolytic enzymes, including fibrinolysin and fibrinogenase, with implications for hemostasis and physiology.