Detergent Treatment of Human and Rabbit Spermatozoa: Ultrastructural Changes and Release of Midpiece Enzymes

Treatment of human and rabbit spermatozoa with the detergents Hyamine 2389 (0.15%) or Hyamine 2389 (0.075%) plus Triton X-100 (0.075%) resulted in dissolution of the plasma membrane and acrosome. Variable damage to the structures of the tail and midpiece also occurred and was greater with Hyamine alone than with Hyamine and Triton. Spontaneous midpiece enzyme release (lactate dehydrogenase, LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase, GOT), and alanine aminotransferase (glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, GPT) occurred in the presence of physiological saline. Sonicating the spermatozoa or treatment with Hyamine and Triton resulted in a significant increase in the release of midpiece enzymes, the effect of sonication being greater than that of the detergent treatment. It is concluded that detergent treatment results in more morphologic changes than had been previously believed, and that, although the detergent extracts contain largely acrosomal proteins, ultrastructural, histochemical, or immunohistochemical techniques are necessary for specific localization of a sperm enzyme.