THE COMPOSITION OF EPIDIDYMAL PLASMA FROM THE CAUDA EPIDIDYMIDIS OF THE RAT

Abstract

The composition of epididymal plasma has been described in the boar (Mann, 1964; Crabo, 1965), the bull (Crabo, 1965; Wales, Wallace & White, 1966), the rabbit (Jones & Glover, 1973) and the ram (Scott, Wales, Wallace & White, 1963). In the rat, information on the subject is limited to measurements of ion concentrations (Levine & Marsh, 1971) in fluid collected by micropuncture techniques and to scattered values obtained from post-mortem material (Conchie, Findlay & Levvy, 1959; Dawson & Rowlands, 1959; Marquis & Fritz, 1965; Brooks, Hamilton & Mallek, 1974). The composition of this fluid in any species is important in relation to sperm survival and would seem to be of particular interest in rodents due to its relatively viscous consistency. It would also seem preferable to obtain such fluid from living animals, and