Unusual particle arrays in the plasma membrane of zebrafish spermatozoa

Kessel, Richard G.; Beams, H. W.; Tung, H. N.; Roberts, Richard L.

doi:10.1016/s0022-5320(83)80006-9

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…rerio (Kessel et al, 1983) and R. sericeus sinensis (Guan and Afzelius, 1991). It was suggested these regions may act as recognition andlor adhesion sites allowing spermatozoa to fuse with the ova.…”

Section: Osteichthyesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of reports are available describing different aspects of spermatogenesis in various teleost spe-cies at the electron microscope level, e.g., Lebistes reticulatus (Asai, 1971;Gronberg and Telkka, 1968;Gronberg and Wartiovaara, 1972;Mattei and Boisson, 1966;; Oligocottus maculosus (Stanley, 1969); Upeneus prayensis (Boisson et al, 1969); Pimephales notatus (Schjeide et al, 1972); Albula vulpes (Mattei and Mattei, 1973); Gambusia affinis (Grier, 1975b); Poecilia latipinna (Grier, 1973(Grier, , 1975a; Trichurus lepturus (Mattei and Mattei, 1976a); Anguilla australis schmidtii and A. dieffenbachii (Todd, 1976); Oryzias latipes (Grier, 1976;Hamaguchi, 1987); Lepodogaster lepadogaster (Mattei and Mattei, 1978a); Liza aurata (Brusle, 1981); Lepomis macrochirus (Sprando et al, 1988); Salmo gairdneri (Billard, 1972(Billard, , 1983; Poecilia reticulatus (Billard and Flechon, 1969); Platichthys flesus (Jones and Butler, 1988a,b); Thymallus thymallus (Lahnsteiner et al, 1991); Rhodeus sericeus sinensis (Guan and Afzelius, 1991); Blennius pholis (Silveira et al, 1990); Ophidion sp ; 8 species of blennidae (Lahnsteiner and Patzner, 1990); Paroncheilus sp (Mattei and Mattei, 1984); Zctalurus punctatus (Poirier and Nicholson, 1982); Brachydanio rerio (Kessel et al, 1983); a large number of cyprinids (Clerot, 1976;Thiaw et al, 1986;Thiaw and Mattei, 1989); several species of gobies (Fishelson et al, 1990).…”

Section: Osteichthyesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Patches of regular particles have been detected by freeze-fracture in the cell membrane covering the anterior head of spermatozoa in B . rerio (Kessel et al, 1983) and R. sericeus sinensis (Guan and Afzelius, 1991). It was suggested these regions may act as recognition andlor adhesion sites allowing spermatozoa to fuse with the ova.…”

Section: Osteichthyesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spermatogenesis in nonmammalian vertebrates

Pudney

1995

Microscopy Res & Technique

170

120

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Spermatogenesis appears to be a fairly conserved process throughout the vertebrate series. Thus, spermatogonia develop into spermatocytes that undergo meiosis to produce spermatids which enter spermiogenesis where they undergo a morphological transformation into spermatozoa. There is, however, variation amongst the vertebrates in how germ cell development and maturation is accomplished. This difference can be broadly divided into two distinct patterns, one present in anamniotes (fish, amphibia) and the other in amniotes (reptiles, birds, mammals). For anamniotes, spermatogenesis occurs in spermatocysts (cysts) which for most species develop within seminiferous lobules. Cysts are produced when a Sertoli cell becomes associated with a primary spermatogonium. Mitotic divisions of the primary spermatogonium produce a cohort of secondary spermatogonia that are enclosed by the Sertoli cell which forms the wall of the cyst. With spermatogenic progression a clone of isogeneic spermatozoa is produced which are released, by rupture of the cyst, into the lumen of the seminiferous lobule. Following spermiation, the Sertoli cell degenerates. For anamniotes, therefore, there is no permanent germinal epithelium since spermatocysts have to be replaced during successive breeding seasons. By contrast, spermatogenesis in amniotes does not occur in cysts but in seminiferous tubules that possess a permanent population of Sertoli cells and spermatogonia which act as a germ cell reservoir for succeeding bouts of spermatogenic activity. There is, in general, a greater variation in the organization of the testis and pattern of spermatogenesis in the anamniotes compared to amniotes. This is primarily due to the fact there is more reproductive diversity in anamniotes ranging from a relatively unspecialized condition where gametes are simply released into the aqueous environment to highly specialized strategies involving internal fertilization. These differences are obviously reflected in the mode of spermatogenesis and this is particularly true of the stage of spermiogenesis where the morphology of the species-specific spermatozoon is determined. Moreover, unlike amniotes, many anamniotes display a spermatogenic wave manifest, depending upon the species, either at the level of the cyst or seminiferous lobule. This variation in the organization of the testis makes certain anamniotes perfect models for investigating germ cell development and maturation. For instance, the presence of a spermatogenic wave provides an opportunity to manually isolate discrete germ cell stages for analysis of specific Sertoli/germ cell interactions. Furthermore, for many anamniotes, germ cells mature in association with a morphologically poorly developed Sertoli cell. This seeming independence of Sertoli cell regulation allows the in vitro culture of isolated germ cells of some species of anamniotes through several developmental stages. Thus, due either to the anatomical organization of the testis, or structural simplicity of the germinal units, nonmammalian vert...

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Section: Osteichthyesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Osteichthyesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spermatogenesis in nonmammalian vertebrates

Pudney

1995

Microscopy Res & Technique

170

120

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“…In contrast, the unique grating formed by the intramembranous particles as well as variable amounts of membrane surrounding the unusual particle arrays were always free of the filipin-sterol complexes. Thus, while cholesterol appears to be present in the plasma membrane of the zebrafish sperm, it is not apparent in the highly differentiated region of the membrane based on the observed distribution of the filipin-sterol complexes.A unique plasma membrane specialization was recently demonstrated in zebrafish sperm heads which, like the sperm of a number of teleosts, do not possess an acrosome (Kessel et al, 1983). This plasma membrane specialization was demonstrated in freeze-fracture replicas to consist of intramembranous particles that ultimately become organized into a form described as simple hexagons or parallelograms.…”

mentioning

confidence: 96%

Filipin‐sterol complexes in the plasma membrane of zebrafish spermatozoa

1985

Self Cite

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The presence and distribution of filipin-sterol complexes in the plasma membrane of zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) sperm was investigated. The zebrafish sperm plasma membrane, treated with freeze-fracture techniques, is seen to contain a multitude of intramembranous particles that, in a specific region of the posterior part of the sperm head, are organized into unusual particle arrays that appear as simple hexagons or parallelograms. The polyene antibiotic filipin forms complexes with 3-beta-OH sterols to produce characteristic protrusions and pits in membranes that are readily observable in freeze-fracture replicas. Numerous filipin-sterol complexes were found to populate the sperm plasma membrane, and the complexes exhibited variability in their distribution in different sperm. This appears to be the first illustrated example of an acrosomeless sperm that exhibits a high concentration of filipin-sterol complexes. In contrast, the unique grating formed by the intramembranous particles as well as variable amounts of membrane surrounding the unusual particle arrays were always free of the filipin-sterol complexes. Thus, while cholesterol appears to be present in the plasma membrane of the zebrafish sperm, it is not apparent in the highly differentiated region of the membrane based on the observed distribution of the filipin-sterol complexes.

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“…The results showed that the membrane fusion site of spermatozoa is restricted within specially fixed portions (Colwin and Colwin, 1967;Yanagimachi and Noda, 1970; Bedford and Cooper, 1978). Recently, a distribution of intramembranous particles (IMPs) of the sperm plasma membrane in various animals has been investigated by freeze-fracture (the millipede, Reger and Fitzgerald, 1979; the zebrafish, Kessel et al, 1983; the ascidian, Rosati, 1985; the horseshoe crab, Tilney, 1985; the mammal, see Toyama and Nagano, 1988). From the relationship between the fusion site of the plasma membrane and the distribution of the particles, it was shown that the membrane fusion site is particle-free (cf.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Initial stages of sperm‐egg fusion in the freshwater teleost, Rhodeus ocellatus ocellatus

Ohta

1991

Anat. Rec.

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The morphology of spermatozoa and the initial stages of sperm-egg fusion at fertilization were investigated ultrastructurally in the rose bitterling, Rhodeus ocellatus ocellatus. Each spermatozoon is composed of a spherical head without an acrosome, two centrioles, a large mitochondrion, and a flagellum. Freeze-fracture of spermatozoa illustrates that specialized arrays of intramembranous particles (IMPs) are present on the protoplasmic facing (PF) surface of the head plasma membrane at the portion slightly in front of the centrioles. The specialized arrays, whose functions are uncertain, are parallelogram-like in shape. The distribution of the particles is random and less compact in other areas of the head plasma membrane. The number of particles on the PF surface is larger than that on the extracellular facing (EF) surface. The complementary structures of the specialized arrays are also found on a similar portion of the EF surface. An ultrastructural study clearly shows fusion of gamete plasma membranes at the initial stages of sperm entry into the egg. Membrane fusion is first observed in eggs fixed 10 seconds after insemination in fresh water. The fusion site is the microvillus membrane of a sperm entry site on the egg and the head membrane of the spermatozoon. The plasma membrane fusion of gametes is discussed relative to the distribution of the IMPs and the fusion site.

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Unusual particle arrays in the plasma membrane of zebrafish spermatozoa

Cited by 15 publications

References 18 publications

Spermatogenesis in nonmammalian vertebrates

Spermatogenesis in nonmammalian vertebrates

Filipin‐sterol complexes in the plasma membrane of zebrafish spermatozoa

Initial stages of sperm‐egg fusion in the freshwater teleost, Rhodeus ocellatus ocellatus

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