SPERMAGGLUTININ FORMATION IN MALE RATS BY SUBCUTANEOUSLY INJECTED SYNGENEIC EPIDIDYMAL SPERMATOZOA AND BY VASOLIGATION OR VASECTOMY

Abstract

Summary. Macroscopic agglutination of rat epididymal spermatozoa was a sensitive reproducible test for the detection and titration of spermagglutinins in rat sera. Naturally occurring spermagglutinins were occasionally found, especially in aged males, but never in titres higher than 20. Inbred male rats, subcutaneously injected with large quantities of syngeneic, unwashed epididymal spermatozoa without adjuvant produced spermagglutinins. The highest titre (2560) was found in the serum of a rat 7 days after injection of 1·5 × 109 spermatozoa. Significant spermagglutinin formation was found after unilateral vasoligation in some (2/7) rats and unilateral vasectomy in all (8/8) rats. The antibody stimulation tended to cease after removal of the testis and epididymis of the operated side. The presence of spermagglutinins in the serum neither interfered with spermatogenesis nor necessarily with the animal's fertility.