Why is semen not liquefied?

  Modern medicine believes that semen non-liquefaction is related to many factors: generally coagulated semen is visible under electron microscopy as thin, interwoven fibers and confines sperm within it, preventing it from moving. Coagulation prevents sperm from escaping and being lost in the reproductive tract during and after intercourse, and reduces the antigenic effect of sperm. In addition, it slows down sperm movement, gaining rest time and saving energy. Therefore, the coagulation phenomenon when semen is ejected from the body is an instinctive physiological process to protect sperm. When semen is liquefied the fibers in the semen are completely broken and the sperm are very active. However, if semen is not liquefied, sperm activity time is limited and can cause infertility.  Recent studies have concluded that the coagulation of semen is caused by coagulation factors produced by the seminal vesicles, while the liquefaction of semen is related to the liquefaction factors secreted by the prostate. The liquefaction factor of human semen has been isolated, which is an impermeable, heat-resistant, chymotrypsin-like enzyme with seminal protease properties, including a-amylase, chymotrypsin-like enzyme, aminopeptidase, collagenase-like enzyme, lysozyme, trypsin, hyaluronidase, and salivary acid transferase. Among them, a-amylase and chymotrypsin-like enzymes have been used clinically. a plant study on the mechanism of human semen liquefaction was conducted by Koren et al. who divided semen liquefaction into three stages based on morphological and biochemical analysis: the first stage is the dissolution of gelatinous material; the second stage is the degradation of dissolved proteins into peptides; and the third stage is the degradation of peptides into amino acids.  Since the liquefaction factor is mainly derived from the prostate gland, when the prostate gland is diseased, its secretion function is reduced, the activity of enzymes is also reduced, and the semen liquefaction performance is abnormal. It has also been found clinically that in chronic prostatitis, the semen is highly viscous and the incidence of non-liquefaction is significantly higher. In addition, a significant number of patients with chronic prostatitis are also combined with seminal vesiculitis, therefore, there is a reduced secretion activity of seminal vesicles along with the hyposecretory function of the prostate gland, so that the abnormal phenomenon of incomplete semen liquefaction may occur on the basis of the simultaneous reduction of coagulation and liquefaction factors.  In case of infection of the reproductive tract, there is an increase in debris-like material in semen and an increase in pH, which is related to an increase in leukocytes and a decrease in zinc content, and when the pH of semen exceeds 8.8, semen may also become non-liquefied.  Testosterone regulates the secretory activity of the accessory gonads and the production of various secretions, and thus can also affect the coagulation and liquefaction of semen.