|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Home Help Feedback Subscriptions Archive Search Table of Contents | |||||
Journal of Cell Science, Vol 6, 865-879, Copyright © 1970 by Company of Biologists
Submitted on August 9, 1969
1 Institute of Animal Genetics, A.R.C. Unit of Animal Genetics, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
A method is described for making carbon replicas of the surface of fixed spermatozoa and spermatids. In a study of the undulations of the surface of the midpiece, it has been shown that in the mouse spermatozoon the mitochondria are arranged predominantly in two parallel helices--without exception sinistral--totalling about 87 windings around the flagellum. The variability of this number has been calculated. The origin of this arrangement in spermateleosis has been examined in replicas of spermatids, revealing a rather complicated morphogenesis. It seems that, following the migration of the terminal annulus, elongated mitochondria form a single dextral helix around the flagellum; they then divide, making an orderly arrangement of spherical units; finally, each unit elongates, pushes between the contiguous units, and, by end-to-end apposition, contributes to the formation of the regular system of two sinistral helices. A detailed account of this transformation is presented. It is suggested that, for tissues of sufficient hardness, the replica technique can usefully complement the cutting of thin sections.
Submitted on August 9, 1969
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  T. Vorup-Jensen, T. Hjort, J. V. Abraham-Peskir, P. Guttmann, J. C. Jensenius, E. Uggerhoj, and R. Medenwaldt X-ray microscopy of human spermatozoa shows change of mitochondrial morphology after capacitation Hum. Reprod., April 1, 1999; 14(4): 880 - 884. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
