Alkaline phosphatase activity of epididymal contents in boars with normal or reduced spermatogenesis.

The alkaline phosphatase activity was measured in testicular fluid and in epididymal plasma from caput and cauda epididymidis in boars with normal sperm production and in boars in which the number of spermatozoa passing from the testis to the epididymidis was reduced. The testicular fluid and the epididymal plasma from caput epididymidis contained low amounts of alkaline phosphatase in comparison with epididymal plasma from the cauda. This applies to both groups of boars e.g. boars with normal as well as with totally lacking or lowered sperm production. As no fluid resorption takes place between caput and cauda the distal part of the epididymidis must be the main production site for alkaline phosphatase. The production there is not related to the presence of spermatozoa in the duct. In the caput, on the other hand, it seems that the level of alkaline phosphatase in some way is influenced by the sperm supply to the duct.