Abstract
The effect of boar seminal plasma was tested on the muscular activity of the uterine horns and of the isthmic part of the oviducts in anaesthetized oestrous gilts. The motility was recorded by using balloon-tipped catheters placed in the middle part of the uterine horns and in the isthmus close to the uterotubal junction. The following test solutionis were used: sperm-free seminal plasma and isotonic glucose solution. In the isthmic part a test solution called OLEP was also used. OLEP is a buffer solution with electrolyte concentrations, pH and osmotic pressure similar to seminal plasma.
Neither seminal plasma nor the buffers used affected the motility of the uterine horns. Seminal plasma decreased the spontaneous motility of the isthmus, mainly characterized by a reduced amplitude. No effect was, however, obtained with the different buffer solutions used. It is therefore supposed that an unidentified substance with relaxative effect on the isthmic muscle is present in the boar seminal plasma.
Keywords: boar, seminal plasma, uterus, oviduct, oestrus, gilt
Sammanfattning
Galtspermaplasmas effekt på muskelaktiviteten i livmoderhornen och i äggledarnas isthmusdel undersöktes på brunstiga gyltor under allmännarkos. Kontraktionsmönstret registrerades med hjälp av ballonger som placerats i livmoderhornens mitt och i isthmusdelen nära „uterotubal junction”. Ballongerna var via katetrar anslutna till tryckregistreringsapparatur. Spermiefri spermaplasma och isoton glykoslösning användes som testvätskor. Vid tryckregistrering av isthmusdelen användes dessutom en buffertlösning benämnd OLEP, som har ett elektrolytinnehåll, pH och osmotiskt tryck som överensstämmer med spermaplasma. Varken spermaplasman eller elektrolytlösningen påverkade det spontana kontraktionsmönstret i livmoderhornet. Däremot dämpade spermaplasma den spontana aktiviteten i isthmusdelen av äggledaren, huvudsakligen genom en minskning av amplituden. Ingen effekt kunde ses efter tillsats av buffertlösningarna. En oidentifierad komponent med avslappande effekt på isthmusregionens muskulatur antas finnas i galtspermaplasma.
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Footnotes
This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Council for Forestry and Agricultural Research.
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