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Changes of elemental concentrations around/on the rat sperm plasma membrane during maturation in the male genital
Y Ozawa1, K Ashizawa, K Okauchi
1Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Agriculture, Miyazaki University, Japan.
Abstract:
This study was undertaken to analyze the changes of elemental concentrations around/on the plasma membrane of the head, midpiece, and principal piece regions of individual rat spermatozoa during maturation in the male genital tract by X-ray microprobe analysis. Around/on the plasma membrane of the three different subcellular regions, concentrations of sodium, potassium, chlorine, and calcium decreased gradually during sperm passage through the male genital tract. Phosphorous showed almost constant concentrations. In contrast, magnesium concentration increased significantly through the process of maturation, and the concentration in the vas deferens was about three times higher than that in the testis. The Na-to-K ratios on the midpiece also increased gradually during maturation.