Concentrations of carnitine, glutamate and myo-inositol in epididymal fluid and spermatozoa from boars.

This study examines the concentrations of carnitine, glutamate and myo-inositol in fluid and spermatozoa from six epididymal regions. Samples were taken from six post-pubertal boars, and the sperm concentration, the protein concentration in epididymal fluid and the concentrations of carnitine, myo-inositol and glutamate in the epididymal fluid and spermatozoa were analysed. In epididymal fluid the concentration of myo-inositol decreased in a proximo-distal direction, whereas intraluminal concentrations of L-carnitine and L-glutamate increased distally. As changes in the concentration of these solutes did not parallel changes in sperm concentration, this may reflect secretion or absorption of theses solutes. The sperm content of inositol fell as they moved from the distal caput whereas glutamate content increased from the distal caput to more distal regions and carnitine content remained unchanged during epididymal transit. This is the first attempt to elucidate the changes in the content of glutamate and inositol in epididymal spermatozoa of mammals and in the fluid from different epididymal regions of boars.