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Ultrastructural observations of eu‐ and paraspermiogenesis in the cottid fish Hemilepidotus gilberti (Teleostei: Scorpaeniformes: Cottidae)
Author(s) -
Hayakawa Youichi,
Komaru Akira,
Munehara Hiroyuki
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.10001
Subject(s) - biology , spermiogenesis , acrosome , sculpin , anatomy , cytokinesis , ultrastructure , spermatogenesis , meiosis , centriole , sperm , microbiology and biotechnology , fish <actinopterygii> , cell division , botany , genetics , semen , endocrinology , cell , fishery , gene
The developmental process of eu‐ and paraspermatozoa in the cottid fish, Hemilepidotus gilberti , was observed by electron microscopy. Euspermatozoa of H. gilberti consist of a thin disk‐like sperm head (about 3 μm in length), a short middle piece, and a long flagellum, but lack an acrosome. On the other hand, during spermiogenesis, aberrant spermatids, rich in cytoplasm and possessing binuclei, develop into cysts containing spermatids. The developing aberrant spermatids connect with normal spermatids and euspermatozoa by intercellular bridges. The early phase of chromatin condensation in aberrant spermatids is almost identical to that in normal spermatids, but the nuclei in the later phase develop into a mass of highly electron‐dense globules. Since the aberrant spermatids complete karyokinesis but not cytokinesis at telophase of the second meiotic division, they are considered to develop into hyperpyrenic cells due to incomplete cytokinesis of the second meiotic division. These spermatids are oval in shape (5–7 μm in diameter) and lack a flagellum. The aberrant spermatids of H. gilberti are shed along with euspermatozoa and amount to about 50% of semen in volume. Judging from their form and developmental process, aberrant spermatids produced in H. gilberti are considered hyperpyrenic paraspermatozoa. J. Morphol. 253:243–254, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.