Abstract
Summary
Crude and purified gramicidin after initial stimulation inhibits the oxygen consumption of bovine spermatozoa completely in Ringer phosphate of acid pH and renders the cells immobile. By the use of sufficiently small amounts only stimulation is observed during the period of the experiment. In alkaline phosphate buffer only the increase of oxygen consumption is noted. However, in Ringer bicarbonate medium of the same pH, the respiration again is greatly inhibited; aerobic as well as anaerobic glycolysis are depressed on the average 40% and the motility of the spermatozoa is markedly impaired. Tyrocidine, in the concentrations studied, caused a small reduction in the oxygen uptake and the glycolysis.
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