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Arrest of flagellum morphogenesis with fibrous sheath immaturity of human spermatozoa
Author(s) -
Escalier D.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0272.2006.00711.x
Subject(s) - flagellum , acrosome , microbiology and biotechnology , spermiogenesis , sperm , biology , annulus (botany) , morphogenesis , anatomy , cytoplasm , motile cilium , nucleus , compartmentalization (fire protection) , cilium , genetics , gene , botany , biochemistry , enzyme
Summary Morphogenesis of the mammalian sperm flagellum is characterized by the assembly of axonemal and peri‐axonemal structures. The incorporation of mitochondria into the flagellum results from complex cellular events, including flagellum compartmentalization and membrane and organelle reorganization. These events are striking in the annulus, which progressively relocates from the neck to the principal piece of the flagellum. This study presents a human sperm phenotype with failure of the annulus relocation, absence of mitochondrial sheath and a fibrous sheath at intermediate step of assembly. The sperm nucleus was fully condensed but with deep invaginations engulfing the acrosome. The distal pole of some mitochondria exhibited an unusual dense substance. This rare human sperm phenotype was found in a consanguineous patient, suggesting a genetic origin. These anomalies raise the question of the mechanisms that lead to impairment of both the annulus relocation and the deposit of proteins on the fibrous sheath during spermiogenesis.