Seminal Amino Acid and Carbohydrate Pattern of Bulls with Normal and Abnormal Testes Function. ∗

Abstract

Summary

1. Methods of characterization and estimation by paper partition chromatography of carbohydrates and free amino acids in semen and accessory sex organ fluids of the bull are described. 2. Fructose was the only sugar found in semen and in fluids expressed from the accessory sex glands. The measurement by paper chromatography agrees well with the results of chemical methods. 3. The live amino acids found in free form in semen were glutamic acid, alanine, glycine, serine, and aspartic acid. They are apparently not utilized by spermatozoa during the process of fructolysis. 4. This pattern was similar in fluids obtained from seminal vesicles and the ampullae vasa deferentia except that alanine, not glutamic acid, was predominant. A trace of tyrosine was found in ampullar fluid. 5. Seminal fructose and amino acids were completely lost after castration. While testosterone therapy caused a rapid return of seminal fructose, the normal levels of amino acids were only partially restored. 6. Vasectomy, contrary to expectations, resulted in a total depletion of seminal amino acids even though the testes remained in situ. That the testes continued to function normally with respect to androgen secretion was borne out by the fact that masculine behavior, sex drive and the level of seminal fructose were not affected by vasectomy. 7. Treatment with testosterone propionate, however, restored seminal amino acids to significantly higher levels. Seminal fructose remained unchanged.