Substrate-free epididymal-like bovine spermatozoa

Summary. A technique is presented for the collection of ejaculated bovine spermatozoa directly into an inhibitory diluent which renders the cells immotile and prevents the absorption of carbohydrate from the seminal plasma. When removed from the inhibitory diluent, such cells have low endogenous respiration which is markedly increased by the addition of fructose to the incubation medium or by pre-incubation in a fructose solution before washing and then subjecting the cells to a period of endogenous respiration. After storage at 5\s=deg\C for 24 hr in the collection medium, and after their subsequent removal from the inhibitory medium, the endogenous respiration rate of such spermatozoa and their respiration in the presence of fructose is greater than the initial respiration level. All these responses are typical of bovine epididymal spermatozoa