Increases in Human Sperm Oxygen Consumption at Low Cell Concentrations1

Human spermatozoan oxygen consumption was measured in semen serially diluted with its own plasma, and shortly after serial dilution of washed spermatozoa in an artificial medium. In both media, per-sperm oxygen uptake rose significantly when sperm concentration fell below the range of 15-25 X 10(6) cells/ml. Oxygen uptake was higher in the artificial medium, regardless of sperm concentration. Sperm oxygen consumption in the artificial medium declined over times short enough that no change in the percentage of motile spermatozoa was detected.