The effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25) on the physiology and morphology of rabbit sperm maintained in vitro, 1970
Washington, Pauline Baxter
1970-1979
The present study was undertaken to explore some of the physiological and morphological effects of LSD-25 on rabbit spermatozoa. Rabbit spermatozoa were collected with the aid of an artificial vagina and maintained n vitro in NJ-3 solution and in LSD-25 solution. Rabbit spermatozoa exposed to LSD-25 were more motile at zero time and also maintained a higher motility rating after 24 hr than cells maintained in HJ-3 solution. These same cells also lived longer than spermatozoa exposed to NJ-3 solution. Glucose uptake by rabbit sperm cells treat ed with LSD-25 showed an initial increase in oxygen utiliza tion only to decline to zero after 24 hr. Electron micrographs obtained from this study illus trated loosening or blebbing of the acrosomal and plasma membranes of unincubated rabbit spermatozoa. The membrane effects seen here resemble the effects seen by Bedford (1964) in rabbit spermatozoa recovered from the uterus. The plasma membranes of spermatozoa incubated in LSD-25 were completely detached from the acrosomal membrane. The plasma membrane adheres only at the anterior end of the acrosomal membrane of the sperm head in normal spermatozoa. The midpieces of dead spermatozoa incubated in LSD-25 and unincubated spermatozoa were enlarged at 24 hr. Electron micrographs of spermatozoa incubated in MJ-3 solution did not show enlarged midpieces. Electron micrographs of heads of rabbit spermatozoa treated with LSD-25 showed signs of regular bands of low and high electron dense materials. This characteristic was not observed in rabbit spermatozoa incubated in HJ-3 solution or in fresh unincubated spermato zoa. Heterogeneous distribution of materials in the heads of rabbit sperm cells exposed to LSD-25 has not been reported before.
text
application/pdf
1970-06-01
thesis
Master of Science (MS)
Atlanta University
Biology
Johnson, Clyde E.
Clark Atlanta University
Georgia--Atlanta
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12322/cau.td:1970_washington_pauline_b