Phospholipid interrelationships in rat epididymal tissue and spermatozoa

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Abstract
Phospholipid analyses have been made of epididymal tissue from the rat as well as exudates rich in spermatozoa obtained from this tissue and the vas deferens. There is an accumulation of choline plasmalogen (or lyso choline plasmalogen) in the spermatozoa as they pass through the epididymis. The concentrations of lecithin and phosphatidylethanolamine in the exudate from the head of the epididymis are considerably higher than those from the tail region. It could not be decided whether this is caused by a change in the spermatozoa or by contamination of the exudates with tissue phospholipids. The epididymal lecithin pool rapidly becomes labelled when KH2P32O4 is injected, and its specific activity is above that of glycerylphosphorylcholine up to 40 hr. after the [P32]phosphate is administered. Ligation of the vasa efferentia and depletion of epididymal spermatozoa decreases the amount of [P32]phosphate incorporated into both the lecithin and glycerylphosphorylcholine.