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Breakdown of Seminal Glycerylphosphorylcholine by Secretions of the Female Reproductive Tract

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Abstract

IN the course of experiments on the metabolism of glycerol by ram spermatozoa, the seminal plasma was found to contain high concentrations of a substance estimating as glycerol1. This was identified as a glycerol complex, namely, glycerylphosphorylcholine, which was shown to occur in ram seminal plasma in a concentration of more than 1 per cent, and in the semen of the bull, goat, stallion, man and rabbit in lesser amounts2. Despite its high concentration in the seminal plasma, however, ram spermatozoa are unable to metabolize glycerylphosphorylcholine2, and its physiological significance has hitherto been unknown.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Physiology, University of Sydney,

    I. G. WHITE & J. C. WALLACE

Authors
  1. I. G. WHITE
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  2. J. C. WALLACE
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WHITE, I., WALLACE, J. Breakdown of Seminal Glycerylphosphorylcholine by Secretions of the Female Reproductive Tract. Nature 189, 843–844 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/189843a0

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