Lipid peroxidation in fowl spermatozoa.

During aerobic incubation at 40 to 41 C washed cock spermatozoa resuspended in phosphate buffer formed a thiobarbituric acid-reactive product. Their susceptibility to peroxidation was enhanced by the addition of ascorbate and was not altered by storage for 24 hr at 0 C. A severe impairment of motility was associated with the peroxidized spermatozoa.