PHOSPHOLIPIDS OF BOVINE SPERMATOZOA AND SEMINAL PLASMA

Abstract

Summary. Spermatozoal and seminal plasma lipids of fourteen individual bulls were separated by column chromatography into neutral lipid and several phospholipid fractions. Elution progress was monitored by thin-layer chromatography. Each phospholipid constituent was determined by phosphorus analysis. Total lipid, cholesterol and plasmalogen contents were determined. The fatty acids and aldehydes of the choline and ethanolamine phosphatide fractions were analysed by gasliquid chromatography. The spermatozoal phospholipid comprised 35·6% phosphatidyl choline, 28% phosphatidal choline, 20% phosphatidyl ethanolamine, 7·2% phosphatidal ethanolamine and 9·1% sphingomyelin. The seminal plasma phospholipid comprised 30% phosphatidyl choline, 23·6% phosphatidal choline, 10·5% phosphatidyl ethanolamine, 16·3% phosphatidal ethanolamine, 14·1% sphingomyelin and 5·4% polyglycerol phosphatide. Myristaldehyde and palmitaldehyde were the only aldehydes identified in the choline and ethanolamine phosphatide fractions. Docosahexaenoic acid constituted a large portion of the fatty acids of spermatozoal choline phosphatide.