Microphotometric study on cytochrome oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase activities in mouse spermatozoa during maturation and in vivo and in vitro capacitation.

In Eutherian (mammalian) spermatozoa, maturation and capacitation are associated to modifications of the metabolic activities. In order to demonstrate such variations, a quantitative cytochemical study was carried out on cytochrome oxidase and L-lactate dehydrogenase activities in mouse spermatozoa collected from the male and female genital tracts and at different times of the in vitro capacitation. Microdensitometric measurements were made on a Vickers M85 integrator microdensitometer at lambda = 480 +/- 5 nm and lambda = 585 +/- 5 nm wavelengths for the cytochrome oxidase and LDH activities, respectively. The cytochrome oxidase activity first decreases and then increases significantly both during maturation and during capacitation in vivo and in vitro. The LDH activity decreases significantly and gradually in the male and female genital tracts as well as in the course of in vitro capacitation where, however, an enhancement in the anaerobic glycolysis occurs.