Studies on the Dna Content,Dry Mass and Optical Area of Bull Spermatozoal Heads During Epididymal Maturation

Microspectrophotometric, microinterferometric and microplanimetric techniques were used to investigate whether the maturation of bull spermatozoa is associated with any detectable changes in the major chemical components of the spermatozoal head. Round spermatids, caput, corpus, cauda epididymidal and ejaculated spermatozoa were obtained from six bulls with lowered fertility and three bulls with normal fertility. There was no quantitative change in DNA, in total dry mass or in optical area associated with the passage of spermatozoa between these areas of the epididymis. A marked reduction in relative Feulgen reactivity during spermiogenesis was found and was significantly more pronounced in spermatozoa from bulls with normal fertility than in spermatozoa from bulls of lowered fertility. It was suggested that this reduction signifies qualitative alterations of the spermatozoal deoxyribonucleoprotein complex and may be related to the fertility status of the bull.