Biomaterial Database

Acrosomal status of mouse spermatozoa in the oviductal isthmus. 1998

P Esponda, and M Moreno

Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain. cibpe42@cc.csic.es

The principal purpose of this study was to establish the acrosomal status of mouse spermatozoa stored in the isthmus of the oviduct after natural mating. Scanning electron microscopy of oviducts fixed about 6 hr before the estimated ovulation time showed numerous acrosome-intact spermatozoa attached to the mucosal surface of the oviduct, or trapped in the oviductal crypts. Nevertheless, an unambiguous assessment of the state of the acrosome requires transmission electron microscopy. Using this method, it was observed that the acrosome was intact in the 81% of spermatozoa attached to the mucosal surface but in only 31% of spermatozoa that were free in the lumen. Most of the free spermatozoa showed swelling or disruption of the acrosome. This result might indicate that the in vivo spermatozoon-oviductal mucosa interaction maintains the acrosome intact. Alternatively, it could mean that only ejaculated spermatozoa with a normal acrosome can establish such a mucosal relationship.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
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
D002448	Cell Adhesion	Adherence of cells to surfaces or to other cells.	Adhesion, Cell,Adhesions, Cell,Cell Adhesions
D004848	Epithelium	The layers of EPITHELIAL CELLS which cover the inner and outer surfaces of the cutaneous, mucus, and serous tissues and glands of the body.	Mesothelium,Epithelial Tissue,Mesothelial Tissue,Epithelial Tissues,Mesothelial Tissues,Tissue, Epithelial,Tissue, Mesothelial,Tissues, Epithelial,Tissues, Mesothelial
D005187	Fallopian Tubes	A pair of highly specialized canals extending from the UTERUS to its corresponding OVARY. They provide the means for OVUM transport from the ovaries and they are the site of the ovum's final maturation and FERTILIZATION. The fallopian tube consists of an interstitium, an isthmus, an ampulla, an infundibulum, and fimbriae. Its wall consists of three layers: serous, muscular, and an internal mucosal layer lined with both ciliated and secretory cells.	Oviducts, Mammalian,Salpinges, Uterine,Salpinx, Uterine,Uterine Salpinges,Uterine Salpinx,Fallopian Tube,Uterine Tubes,Mammalian Oviduct,Mammalian Oviducts,Oviduct, Mammalian,Tube, Fallopian,Tube, Uterine,Tubes, Fallopian,Tubes, Uterine,Uterine Tube
D005260	Female		Females
D000177	Acrosome	The cap-like structure covering the anterior portion of SPERM HEAD. Acrosome, derived from LYSOSOMES, is a membrane-bound organelle that contains the required hydrolytic and proteolytic enzymes necessary for sperm penetration of the egg in FERTILIZATION.	Acrosomes
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
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
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus