Lactic dehydrogenase in the ejaculate of lambs as an indicator for the onset and the rate of the exocrine function of the testes
1991
Alexopoulos, K. | Karagiannidis, A. | Tsakalof, P. (Aristotelion Univ., Thessaloniki (Greece). Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Clinic of Obstetrics and A.I.) | Agiannidis, A. (Aristotelion Univ., Thessaloniki (Greece). Chemistry Laboratory of the Veterinary Medicine)
In this work, the development of LDH enzymic activity in the ejaculate of lambs, aged 12 to 46 weeks, as well as the possibility of using intracellular enzymes, such as LDH, as an indicator for the onset and the rate of the exocrine testicular function, were studied. For this purpose 10 lambs from each of the Greek breeds of sheep, namely Chios, Serres and Karagouniki, were used. These lambs had all been born in the first fortnight of October. The results of the abovestudy show that LDH activity is high enough at the age of 14 weeks (794-1783mU/mLof seminal plasma) up to the age of 20 weeks, i.e. before the appearance of the first spermatozoa in the ejaculate. The high values of LDH activity in the above time interval are attributed to the presence in the ejaculate of a large number of polynucleated and epithelial cells. Following the appearance of the first spermatozoa in the ejaculate, the above cells are significantly reduced, while LDH activity is increased; there was a significantly high positive relationship between the latter and the number of spermatozoa per ejaculate P0.001), reaching maximum values at the age of 44 weeks (2228-3449mU/mL of seminal plasma). It was concluded that the total LDH activity in the ejaculate of lambs cannot serve as a dependable indicator for the onset of the exocrine function of the testes, unless determined concurrently with the activity of the isoenzyme LDH-X. Conversely, the levels of LDH activity in the ejauate may be used as an indicator for the rate of the exocrine function of the testes.
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