Biomaterial Database

Ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and the spermatozoon of Mesocestoides litteratus (Cestoda, Mesocestoididae). 1999

J Miquel, and C Feliu, and B Marchand

Laboratori de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain. jmiquel@farmacia.far.ub.es

This paper constitutes the first ultrastructural study of spermiogenesis and the spermatozoon of a cestode belonging to the family Mesocestoididae, Mesocestoides litteratus. Spermiogenesis in M. litteratus is characterised by a flagellar rotation and a proximodistal fusion. The zone of differentiation presents striated roots associated with the centrioles and also an intercentriolar body. The most interesting ultrastructural feature found in the mature spermatozoon of M. litteratus is the presence of parallel cortical microtubules. The spermatozoon also exhibits a single crest-like body and granules of glycogen. The pattern of spermiogenesis and the parallel position of cortical microtubules reveal the lack of concordance between M. litteratus and cyclophyllidean species studied to date in spermiogenesis and in the ultrastructural organisation of spermatozoon. This study provides new spermatological data and calls into question the validity of the current systematic position of mesocestoidids.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008645	Mesocestoides	A genus of tapeworm, containing several species, found as adults in birds and mammals. The larvae or cysticercoid stage develop in invertebrates. Human infection has been reported and is probably acquired from eating inadequately cooked meat of animals infected with the second larval stage known as the tetrahythridium.	Mesocestoide
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008870	Microtubules	Slender, cylindrical filaments found in the cytoskeleton of plant and animal cells. They are composed of the protein TUBULIN and are influenced by TUBULIN MODULATORS.	Microtubule
D002590	Cestode Infections	Infections with true tapeworms of the helminth subclass CESTODA.	Bertielliasis,Cenuriasis,Coenuriasis,Dipylidiasis,Raillietiniasis,Tapeworm Infection,Bertielliases,Cenuriases,Cestode Infection,Coenuriases,Dipylidiases,Infection, Cestode,Infection, Tapeworm,Infections, Cestode,Infections, Tapeworm,Raillietiniases,Tapeworm Infections
D005589	Foxes	Any of several carnivores in the family CANIDAE, that possess erect ears and long bushy tails and are smaller than WOLVES. They are classified in several genera and found on all continents except Antarctica.	Alopex,Arctic Fox,Pseudalopex,Red Fox,Urocyon,Vulpes,Vulpes vulpes,Fox, Arctic,Fox, Red
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013091	Spermatogenesis	The process of germ cell development in the male from the primordial germ cells, through SPERMATOGONIA; SPERMATOCYTES; SPERMATIDS; to the mature haploid SPERMATOZOA.	Spermatocytogenesis,Spermiogenesis
D013094	Spermatozoa	Mature male germ cells derived from SPERMATIDS. As spermatids move toward the lumen of the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES, they undergo extensive structural changes including the loss of cytoplasm, condensation of CHROMATIN into the SPERM HEAD, formation of the ACROSOME cap, the SPERM MIDPIECE and the SPERM TAIL that provides motility.	Sperm,Spermatozoon,X-Bearing Sperm,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperm,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Sperm, X-Bearing,Sperm, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, X-Bearing,Sperms, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,X Bearing Sperm,X Chromosome Bearing Sperm,X-Bearing Sperms,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms,Y Bearing Sperm,Y Chromosome Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperms,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms