Plasminogen activator activity, plasminogen activator inhibition and plasmin inhibition in spermatozoa and seminal plasma of man and various animal species—Effect of plasmin on sperm motility

Abstract

Plasminogen activator activity (PAA), plasminogen activator inhibition (PAI) and plasmin inhibition (PI) were demonstrated in spermatozoa and seminal plasma of man, bull, ram, buck, boar and stallion. There was a great species variation in the PAA, PAI and PI. In spermatozoa and seminal plasma both types of plasminogen activator, namely of the tissue type (t-PA) and urokinase type (u-PA), were detected immunologically. The effect of plasmin on sperm motility was studied in the semen of bull. The addition of plasmin to the semen induced in certain concentrations a marked increase in sperm motility. The effect of plasmin on sperm motility seems to be direct.