Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T09:20:52.716Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The structural organisation of sperm head components of the wombat and koala (suborder: Vombatiformes): an enigma amongst marsupials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 March 2001

WILLIAM G. BREED
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australia
CHRISTOPHER M. LEIGH
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australia
MARIO RICCI
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australia
Get access

Abstract

The sperm head structural organisation of the koala and hairy-nosed wombat, and the effects of varying concentrations of the ionic detergent, Triton X-100, on its component parts, were determined by electron microscopy. Although alike in form between the 2 species, the sperm nucleus of the former, but not the latter, had nuclear vacuoles and appeared to be more easily dispersed by the Triton X-100. The structure of the acrosome of the spermatozoon was similar between the 2 species and, in both, previously undescribed thin posterior and lateral segments were found to be present. It is suggested that this thin segment may facilitate sperm-zona and/or sperm-oolemma binding and fusion.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)