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Effects of extracellular ions on the reactivation of human spermatozoa preserved in electrolyte‐free solution
Author(s) -
Saito K.,
Kinoshita Y.,
Yumura Y.,
Iwasaki A.,
Hosaka M.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-0272.1999.00271.x
Subject(s) - ouabain , motility , extracellular , antiporter , sperm motility , chemistry , sperm , sodium , electrolyte , biochemistry , biophysics , andrology , biology , membrane , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , organic chemistry , electrode
It has previously been reported that human spermatozoa preserved in an electrolyte‐free solution can survive for several weeks at 4 °C. However, the motility of spermatozoa after preservation cannot be restored when incubated at 37 °C, unless reactivated by extracellular alkalisation. Under weak acidic conditions, the reactivation is induced by ≥10 mmol l –1 Na + and inhibited by a Na + ‐H + antiporter inhibitor. The addition of ≥0.1 mmol l –1 K + also induces the reactivation. In the present study, the reactivation was induced by ≥0.1 mmol l –1 Rb + or ≥1 mmol l –1 Cs + at an acidic pH. The maximum motility rate with K + , Rb + or Cs + was obtained at 10–20 mmol l–1 and inhibited by 10 −5 –10 −2 mol l −1 ouabain in a dose‐dependent manner, while ouabain had no effect on the Na + ‐induced reactivation. The addition of K + further increased sperm motility reactivated by Na + , which was also inhibited by ouabain. The addition of Ca 2+ did not induce the reactivation or increase sperm motility reactivated by Na + or K + . It was concluded that activation of the ouabain‐sensitive Na + ‐K + ‐ATPase and Na + ‐H + exchange mechanism has an important role in sperm motility.