Washed human spermatozoa from 21 individuals with an average motility of 60% (quality index 277 f 16) had an endogenous ATP generation of 7.5 f 3.4 nmole/108 spermatozoa. The ATP concentrations in spermatozoa from 16 patients with severely impaired motility of 26% (quality index 98 f 13) was 16.9 f 9.9 nmole/lO"spermatozoa. There was no correlation between ATP content and motility in either group. Sperm penetration into blood serum type AB, Rh-positive, was evaluated using a capillary tube penetration test. The penetration was graded with a maximum score of 14. Spermatozoa with an initial motility of 60% reached a score of 10 f 0.7. After addition of 20 mmole of ATP the score was significantly improved to 13 f 0.3. Compared with these results spermatozoa with an average motility of 26% reached a score of 4 f 1. Exogenous ATP (20 mmole) increased the score to 8 +_ 1.0. In both groups reduced glutathione had a negative effect.Human spermatozoa with high and low motility are capable to synthesize ATP. A dysfunction of the phosphorylating particles in the mitochondria appears not to be associated with low sperm motility.

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