Ultrastructure of sperm tail differentiation of the lizard Stenodactylus dorie (Squamata, Reptilia)

Abstract

The ultrastructural features of the sperm tail differentiation in the lizard, Stenodactylus dorie have been described. The initial event was the caudal migration of the centrioles followed by implantation of the proximal centriole in the nuclear fossa and extension of the distal centriole to form the microtubular axoneme. Thereafter, the neck region and middle, main and end tail pieces were developed. The later three tail pieces along their length encompassed the axonemal core which revealed the typical 9+2 arrangement of microtubules. The axonemal core in the middle piece was enveloped within two successive sheaths, the mitochondrial and fibrous ones while in the main piece it was only encircled by the fibrous sheath. End piece only revealed the existence of an axonemal core surrounded by plasmalemma of the fully differentiated spermatid. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information.