Constituents of human seminal plasma

Abstract

THE chemical description of human seminal fluid is far from complete, and except for isolated observations few quantitative data were available until recently. Landois and Stirling [1891] describe it as being neutral or alkaline and containing, in addition to 82 % water and 2 % salts (phosphates, sulphates, carbonates and chlorides), serum albumin, alkali albuminate, nuclein, lecithin, cholesterol and phosphorised fat. Slowtzoff [1916], cited by Roger, gives 90*3 % water, 09 % ash, 8-8 % organic matter, 2-58 % protein and 0-21 % lipoids. The ash is stated to contain K, Na, Ca, Mg, P, Fe and S; Ca and P being most abundant. The protein is described as albumin, globulin, nucleoprotein, nuclein and albumose. Cholesterol, choline and spermine are also stated to be present. McCarthy et al. [1928] made an extensive series of analyses of fluid obtained by massage of the seminal vesicles and prostate. It is certain that the fluid thus obtained contains a much greater proportion of prostatic secretion than the fluid normally ejaculated. Some of the analytical figures given by these authors are so widely different from those obtained with seminal fluid that this statement seems justified.