The effect of light on calcium transport in mammalian sperm mitochondria and plasma membrane was studied. Digitonin treated bovine spermatozoa and plasma membrane vesicles were irradiated with a He-Ne laser and a 780 nm diode laser at various intensities and energy doses and Ca²⁺ uptake was measured by the filtration method. It was found that there is an accelerated Ca²⁺ uptake by the mitochondria after low He-Ne light and inhibition after high intensity irradiation. The ATP-dependent Ca²⁺ uptake by the sperm plasma membrane vesicles was not changed due to He-Ne irradiation. It was enhanced due to 780 nm irradiation.

Date Published: 15 January 1996
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 2630, Effects of Low-Power Light on Biological Systems, (15 January 1996); doi: 10.1117/12.230025

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2630:
Effects of Low-Power Light on Biological Systems
Tiina I. Karu; Anthony R. Young, Editor(s)