Abnormal structures in the flagellar apparatus of the spermatozoa of two ferns.
The flagellar structure of spermatozoa is generally of the 9 + 2 pattern. However, in various animal species abnormalities have been found which some authors have recently suggested as being of value in systematics. Little information has, as yet, been published in this field on plants. In studying spermatogenesis, we found some abnormalities in connection with central and peripheral tubules. These abnormal structures were uncommon and affected only a few of the numerous flagella borne by a single spermatozoid. Such abnormalities do not seem to affect radically the motility of the spermatozoa, but they may have lost part of their fertilizing ability.
D008297:Male; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013082:Sperm Tail / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology
[Abnormal structures in the flagellar apparatus of the spermatozoa of two ferns]