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Abstract
Sialic acid (SA) forms an integral part of the sperm membrane, and the masking properties of SA are well documented. Masking of estrogen and melatonin receptors on the sperm midpiece by SA has been demonstrated. In this paper we report on the correlation of sperm bound SA concentration and motility. We found a negative correlation between the spermbound SA concentration and both the quantitative and qualitative motility. The spermbound SA correlated positively although not significantly with the spermatozoal ATP concentration. SA may mask the receptors on the sperm membrane, affecting sperm metabolism. This will inhibit the breakdown of ATP to its lower nucleotides resulting in poor motility. This may be another reason to believe that SA may play a key role in sperm motility.