Rapid morphological transformations of spermatozoa in the uterus of Brugia pahangi (Nematoda, Filarioidea). 1975

R C Burghardt, and W E Foor

Mature, umated male and female Brugia pahangi worms were implanted into the peritoneal cavity of gerbils, allowed to mate, and then recovered and examined by means of electron microscopy. The proximal portion of the uterus of female worms recovered in copula contained a morphologically heterogenous population of sperm ranging from a rigid, nonmotile form to the mature ameboid sperm. The immotile sperm are identical in morphology to sperm found within the seminal vesicle of the male. The in utero transformations occur in less than 1 hr, and probably represent a final maturation event preceding competency to fertilize eggs. First in the sequence of events leading to the mature spermatozoon is a decrease in the density of the cytoplasmic matrix concomitant with the elaboration of an abundant tubular smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The position and appearance of the sperm in the uterus suggest that the formation of this membranous system occurs within minutes and involves de novo assembly from cytoplasmic precursors. Following the appearance of the tubular membranous system, certain other membranous organelles become spherical, fuse with the plasmalemma, and release their electron-dense contents into the lumen of the uterus. Filamentous rodlike elements, previously extending the length of the peripheral cytoplasm, begin to disintegrate and cytoplasmic projections form at the margins of the cell. Polarization of the sperm results from the aggregation of mitochondria, nuclear material, endoplasmic reticulum, and membranous organelles at one pole of the cell leaving an organelle-free filamentous pseudopod at the other.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007814 Larva Wormlike or grublike stage, following the egg in the life cycle of insects, worms, and other metamorphosing animals. Maggots,Tadpoles,Larvae,Maggot,Tadpole
D008297 Male Males
D008928 Mitochondria Semiautonomous, self-reproducing organelles that occur in the cytoplasm of all cells of most, but not all, eukaryotes. Each mitochondrion is surrounded by a double limiting membrane. The inner membrane is highly invaginated, and its projections are called cristae. Mitochondria are the sites of the reactions of oxidative phosphorylation, which result in the formation of ATP. They contain distinctive RIBOSOMES, transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER); AMINO ACYL T RNA SYNTHETASES; and elongation and termination factors. Mitochondria depend upon genes within the nucleus of the cells in which they reside for many essential messenger RNAs (RNA, MESSENGER). Mitochondria are believed to have arisen from aerobic bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship with primitive protoeukaryotes. (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Mitochondrial Contraction,Mitochondrion,Contraction, Mitochondrial,Contractions, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Contractions
D002009 Brugia A filarial worm of Southeast Asia, producing filariasis and elephantiasis in various mammals including man. It was formerly included in the genus WUCHERERIA. Brugias
D002462 Cell Membrane The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D003307 Copulation Sexual union of a male and a female in non-human species. Copulations
D003593 Cytoplasm The part of a cell that contains the CYTOSOL and small structures excluding the CELL NUCLEUS; MITOCHONDRIA; and large VACUOLES. (Glick, Glossary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1990) Protoplasm,Cytoplasms,Protoplasms
D004721 Endoplasmic Reticulum A system of cisternae in the CYTOPLASM of many cells. In places the endoplasmic reticulum is continuous with the plasma membrane (CELL MEMBRANE) or outer membrane of the nuclear envelope. If the outer surfaces of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes are coated with ribosomes, the endoplasmic reticulum is said to be rough-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, ROUGH); otherwise it is said to be smooth-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, SMOOTH). (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Ergastoplasm,Reticulum, Endoplasmic
D005260 Female Females
D005370 Filarioidea A superfamily of nematodes of the order SPIRURIDA. Members possess a filiform body and a mouth surrounded by papillae. Litomosoides,Filarioideas,Litomosoide

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