Fine structure and elemental composition of fresh and frozen dog spermatozoa.
Dog spermatozoa from fresh ejaculates and after freezing-thawing were air-dried on to grids and subjected to X-ray microanalysis or examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The spermatozoa subjected to freezing-thawing presented major changes in their morphology, which included the loss of acrosomal contents, seen both by the swelling and rarefaction of the acrosome and the loss of electron-dense acrosomal material. In many cells the acrosomal damage, including the equatorial region, was conspicuous, with vesiculization of the acrosomal membranes. The plasmalemma remained, in most cases, apparently intact. X-ray microanalysis of the sperm aliquots showed a significant decrease in the amount of most selected elements after freezing-thawing. The extent to which concentrations of phosphorus and sulfur decreased in the sperm head region suggested that major changes in the chromatin occurred during the freeze-thaw process.
Rodriguez-Martinez
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Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala.
Ekwall
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Linde-Forsberg
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D000177:Acrosome / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000662:veterinary; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*