INCORPORATION OF [U-14C]PALMITIC ACID INTO THE PHOSPHOLIPIDS OF BOVINE SEMEN

Abstract

Fatty acids play a major rôle in the metabolism of spermatozoa. The endogenous respiration of these cells depends largely on the oxidation of hydrolysed acyl groups of plasmalogens (Hartree & Mann, 1961); endogenous fatty acids may also be utilized and are readily incorporated into the lipids of spermatozoa (Payne & Masters, 1968; Mills & Scott, 1969). This communication was initiated in order to provide further data on the turnover of individual phospholipids, and constitutes a preliminary report on the rate and specificity of incorporation of palmitic acid into the phosphatides of bovine semen. Samples (1-ml) of freshly ejaculated semen were incubated under aerobic conditions at 32° C with [U-14C]palmitic acid (0·5 μC) in Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer (pH 7·4 containing 1·1 ml of 3% bovine serum albumin (Calbiochem,