The aim of the studies was to assess the protein composition of the polar fox’s (Alopex lagopus L.) semen plasma with the use of the electrophoretic method (SDS-PAGE) and to find out whether there are statistically important differences in the protein profiles between the beginning and the end of the reproductive period and between the selected proteins and the semen traits. The examined material was the semen plasma obtained with the use of the manual method from nine nine-year-old polar foxes. Both in the plasma obtained at the beginning and at the end of the season ten protein fractions (10.9÷107.5 kDa) were distinguished. On the basis of the densitometric analysis of electrophoretic images, a quantitative decrease of multimolecular forms at the end of the reproductive period was observed. This may indicate either a decreasing synthesis of proteins in the reproductive system or partial proteolysis in progress. The analysis of correlations, in turn, indicated significant relationships (p < 0.05) between the masses of protein fractions (107.5 and 58.9 kDa) and the volume of the semen collected at the beginning of the season (r = -0.76 and r = -0.72 respectively): between proteins 74.8 and 34.9 kDa and the volume of the semen at the end of the season (r = 0.92 and r = 0.79 respectively), and also between proteins 58.9; 34.9; 27.0 and the percentage of the sperm with major flaws in the semen collected at the beginning of the reproductive season (r = 0.69; r = 0.89 and r= -0.76 respectively). Even though significant correlations between the plasma proteins and the traits of the semen obtained from young (one-year-old) individuals were observed, it is necessary to continue the research with reference to older animals (two-year-old foxes).
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