THE COLLECTION AND COMPOSITION OF EPIDIDYMAL PLASMA FROM THE CAUDA EPIDIDYMIDIS OF THE RABBIT

Abstract

Summary. A technique is described for collection of the epididymal contents from the cauda epididymidis of anaesthetized rabbits. The technique avoids undue contamination of the epididymal contents with blood or tissue fluid and overcomes the difficulty of post-mortem change. The effects of high-speed centrifugation and cold shock on the composition of epididymal plasma have also been investigated, and it has been shown that lactic dehydrogenase and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase are largely intracellular constituents, whilst sodium, potassium, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase are extracellular. Finally, some results are presented on the overall composition of epididymal plasma in the rabbit.