Spermatogenesis and sperm ultrastructure in the polychaete genusOphryotrocha (Dorvilleidae) |
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Authors: | Hans-Dieter Pfannenstiel Charlotte Grünig |
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Institution: | 1. Institut für Zoologie der Freien Universit?t Berlin, K?nigin-Luise-Str. 1-3, D-1000, Berlin 33, Federal Republic of Germany
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Abstract: | The details of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis are described forOphryotrocha puerilis. The ultrastructure of mature sperm is shown forO. puerilis, O. hartmanni, O. gracilis, O. diadema, O. labronica, andO. notoglandulata. Clusters of sixteen cells each are proliferated by two stem cells in each setigerous segment ofO. puerilis representing the very early stages of both oogenesis and spermatogenesis. In each spermatocyte-I cluster, the cells are interconnected
by cytoplasmic bridges. Early, clusters are enveloped by peritoneal sheath cells. These transient gonad walls break down prior
to meiosis. The meiotic processes may start in the clusters with the cells still interconnected, or during breakdown of the
original cluster, giving rise to smaller subclusters of both spermatocytes I and spermatocytes II with various numbers of
cells. Finally, spermatid tetrads are present. As spermiogenesis progresses, the tetrads disintegrate. Golgi vesicles in both
spermatocytes and spermatids contain electron-dense material, presumably preacrosomal. The acrosome is formed by such vesicles.
In the six species studied here, the acrosomes appear to be of a similar overall structure but are of different shape. Centrioles
are usually located beneath the acrosome. The distal centriole forms the basal body of a flagellum-like cytoplasmic process.
The microtubules of these flagellar equivalents do not show a normal ciliar arrangement. The flagellar equivalent appears
to be non-motile. InO. hartmanni and inO. notoglandulata, a flagellar equivalent is missing. Microtubules originating from the proximal end of the distal centriole stretch to the
nuclear envelope. This feature appears to be especially conspicuous inO. puerilis and inO. labronica. InO. labronica and inO. notoglandulata, bundles of microtubules paralleling the cell perimeter appear to stabilise the sperm. Various numbers of mitochondria are
either randomly distributed around the nucleus or accumulate on one side, often directly under the acrosome.
Parts of the present paper were presented at the 2nd International Polychaete Conference, Copenhagen 1986 and at the 3rd International Polychaete Conference, Long Beach, Ca. 1989. |
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