THE PHOSPHOLIPID COMPOSITION OF HUMAN SPERMATOZOA AND SEMINAL PLASMA

Abstract

Summary. The phospholipid composition of human spermatozoa and seminal plasma was examined by quantitative two-dimensional thinlayer chromatography, followed by phosphorus analysis. Sperm phospholipid comprised 28·8% phosphatidyl choline, 21·6% phosphatidyl ethanolamine, 21·4% sphingomyelin, 9·4% ethanolamine plasmalogen, 4·7% phosphatidyl serine, 2·7% choline plasmalogen, 1·9% phosphatidyl inositol and 1·6% cardiolipin. Seminal plasma phospholipids comprised 44·0% sphingomyelin, 12·3% ethanolamine plasmalogen, 11·2% phosphatidyl serine, 8·5% phosphatidyl ethanolamine, 7·8% phosphatidyl choline, 0·8% choline plasmalogen, 0·8% cardiolipin and 1·7% phosphatidyl inositol. Prolonged aerobic incubation of human spermatozoa in the presence or absence of glucose produced no significant alteration either in the amount of phospholipid phosphorus extracted or in the phospholipid composition of this extracted material.