title: Epididymal markers in an andrology clinic.
abstract: The ability of the markers alpha-glucosidase, carnitine, and glycerylphosphorylcholine to indicate epididymal obstruction was studied. alpha-Glucosidase was found to be the best discriminant, with 93.4% correct classifications. The possible interrelationship between alpha-glucosidase activity, sperm ATP, and epididymal function was then studied. alpha-Glucosidase correlated positively with the percentage of motile sperm (p = 0.0212) and with the percentage of sperm with good forward progression (p = 0.0374), but correlated negatively with the sperm ATP (p < 0.0500). It was concluded that lower ATP and higher alpha-Glucosidase may be markers of efficient epididymal function. The possible epididymal origin of detached ciliary tufts (DCTs) was studied by determining ATP and alpha-glucosidase activity in patients with DCTs. The mean ATP in patients with DCTs was significantly higher (p = 0.009), but the alpha-glucosidase activity significantly lower (p = 0.0412) than in the control group. These results seem to support the epididymal origin of DCTs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Fourie
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: du Toit
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bornman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wolmarans
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: du Plessis
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers; D002331:Carnitine / Q000378:metabolism*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D004822:Epididymis / Q000378:metabolism; D005997:Glycerylphosphorylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013082:Sperm Tail; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005997:Glycerylphosphorylcholine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases; D002331:Carnitine