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Journal of Experimental Biology 33,422-430 (1956)
Published by Company of Biologists 1956

The Interaction between Metals and Chelating Agents in Mammalian Spermatozoa

I. G. WHITE ¹

¹ Department of Veterinary Physiology, University of Sydney Sydney, N.S.W., Australia

Studies have been made over a 4 hr. period at room temperature on the effect of 0.1 mM. chelating agents and 0.2 mM. metals on the motility of bull, ram, rabbit and human spermatozoa.

Cobalt decreased the toxicity of (1) nitrosonaphthol for all four species, (2) o-phenanthroline for the first three and (3) sodium diethyldithiocarbamate for the bull.

Copper increased the toxicity of (1) nitrosonaphthol, ethyl potassium xanthate and hydroxyquinoline for all species, (2) cupferron for the first three and (3) sodium diethyldithiocarbamate for the ram.

Zinc increased the toxicity of (1) sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, ethyl potassium xanthate and hydroxyquinoline for ram spermatozoa and (2) hydroxyquinoline for bull spermatozoa.

Cadmium increased the toxicity of (1) ethyl potassium xanthate for all species, (2) hydroxyquinoline for the first three, (3) sodium diethyldithiocarbamate for the ram and rabbit and (4) nitrosonaphthol for the ram.

Factorial experiments using bull, ram and rabbit spermatozoa indicated that the spermicidal activity of the metal-chelate mixtures were due to an interaction between the two and not merely additive effects of two spermicidal substances.

Purification of the diluent did not influence the toxicity of the chelating agents to bull, ram or rabbit spermatozoa.

Vitamin B₁₂ (40µg. %) did not reduce the toxicity of o-phenanthroline or nitrosonaphthol for bull or ram spermatozoa.

Nickel was almost as effective as cobalt in reducing the toxicity of o-phenanthroline for ram and bull spermatozoa.