[Relationships between seminal enzymes and fertility (author's transl)]

Various enzyme activities can be detected in human seminal plasma; these are mainly hydrolases which traduct high proteolytic activities. Acid phosphatase constitutes the best prostatic marker, while alpha glucosidase characterizes well epididymal function. The enzymatic equipment of spermatozoa -excepted for acrosin- is very similar to that of seminal plasma, which suggests that most of sperm enzymes are incorporated from male genital secretions. Tight relationships exist between the enzymatic equipment of spermatozoa and their fertilizing capacity: motility is depending of enzymes contained in sperm mid piece and flagellum; acrosomal enzymes are necessary for penetration of oocytes. However we could only very rarely explain some case of male sterility by defect of semen enzymes.