Biochemical analysis of human semen

Semen is composed of spermatozoa and seminal plasma.Each of the 2 components can influence the chemical composition of the other and they should therefore in many instances be looked upon as a functional unit although they derive from different organs.The biochemical composition of the seminal plasma is extremely complex and differs remarkably in many respects from that of blood plasma and other body fluids.It has been extensively studied by biochemists, but most clinicians and reproductive biologists have not been particularly interested in the possible significance of changes in the biochemistry of the seminal plasma as causes of male infertility.One reason for this could be reports that pregnancies have been achieved in some species after insemination with epididymal spermatozoa.It is, however, important to realize that there are significant differences in the reproductive pattern between various species (Table 1) and the role of seminal plasma could therefore be different.These differences could perhaps explain some of the very significant diversities in chemical composition of the seminal plasma from our more common domestic and laboratory species.One should also recall that fertility could only be demonstrated if the epididymal spermatozoa had undergone special incubation and/or washing procedures which could have induced changes in the spermatozoa normally occurring in the seminal plasma.Another reason for the lack of interest in the biochemistry of seminal plasma from the clinicians' side could be the apparent lack of correlation between its composition and human male fertility.This could partially be explained by the common practice to compare relative concentrations of compounds in the seminal ~ ~~