Effects of Bicarbonate on the Respiration and Glycolytic Activity of Boar Spermatozoa

Abstract

The metabolism of washed boar spermatozoa was studied in the presence and absence of low levels of bicarbonate (6 mM) and carbon dioxide (2 %). Bicarbonate stimulated the oxygen consumption of the spermatozoa but had no apparent effect on glycolysis. The stimulatory effect of bicarbonate on respiration depended on the presence of a utilizable exogenous energy source such as glucose, fructose, lactate, or pyruvate and no stimulation occurred when no substrate was added or when acetate was used as substrate. The response of the spermatozoa to bicarbonate also depended on the presence of adequate concentrations of potassium (5 mM) and to a lesser extent magnesium (1 mM).