Ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and the spermatozoon of Vampirolepis microstoma (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae), intestinal parasite of Rattus rattus. 1998

C T Bâ, and B Marchand
Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal.

Spermiogenesis in Vampirolepis microstoma begins with the formation of a nuclear cone and a differentiation zone. This is delimited at the front by arched membranes, bordered by cortical microtubules, and contains two parallel centrioles linked together at their bases by electron-dense, amorphous material. The nuclear cone elongates, becomes filiform, and migrates into the spermatid body. Later, one of the centrioles gives rise to a flagellum that grows at the same pace as the cortical microtubules. Subsequently, 6 crested bodies form and the old spermatid separates from the residual cytoplasm. The mature V. microstoma spermatozoon is filiform and lacks mitochondria. Its anterior end exhibits six crested bodies 100 to 200 nm thick of unequal lengths. The axoneme is of the 9+"1" pattern. The cortical microtubules are spiralized and make an angle of about 20 to 30 degrees to the spermatozoon axis, except at their posterior extremity where they become parallel to this axis. The nucleus is an electron-dense cord coiled in a spiral around the axoneme. The cytoplasm is slightly dense but contains many electron-dense granules in regions III, IV, and V of the spermatozoon. The presence of centrioles linked together at their bases by electron-dense material has never, to our knowledge, been reported in a Platyhelminth. Likewise, a nuclear migration, right from the beginning to the end of spermiogenesis, has never been described in a cestode. In addition, we observe for the first time the existence of six crested bodies in a cestode from a Mammal.

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
D002589 Cestoda A subclass of segmented worms comprising the tapeworms. Raillietina,Tapeworms,Cestodes,Cestodas,Cestode,Raillietinas,Tapeworm
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
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
D013087 Spermatids Male germ cells derived from the haploid secondary SPERMATOCYTES. Without further division, spermatids undergo structural changes and give rise to SPERMATOZOA. Spermatoblasts,Spermatid,Spermatoblast
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
D051381 Rats The common name for the genus Rattus. Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus

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