Sperm enzyme activity analysis in individual sperm for detection of heritable mutations in mammals

Male mice were injected i.p. with 2.5 mg/kg mitomycin C, 100 mg/kg ethyl nitrosourea or saline and mated with untreated virgin females five weeks later. Sperm from 64 of the F1 male progeny were analyzed histochemically for acrosin, succinic dehydrogenase and alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity. The frequency of F1 males with sub-normal sperm enzyme activity was significantly higher among progeny from treated males than in controls. These results show that analysis of sperm enzyme activity in F1 males is a practical method for detection of transmitted mutations induced in a treated parent.