Isolation of plasma membranes from ram spermatozoa by a two-phase polymer system

The plasma membranes of ram spermatozoa were disrupted in a hypotonic EDTA medium and isolated by using a two-phase polymer system of dextran--polyethyleneglycol. The plasma membranes obtained were of a relatively high degree of purity (approximately 70%) as judged by electron microscopy observations and measurements of the marker enzymes alkaline phosphatase, ATPase and AMPase. The activity of succinate cytochrome C reductase, a marker of mitochondrial membranes, was very low.