Cytoplasmic droplets: the good, the bad or just confusing?
The term cytoplasmic droplets is used to mean two different structures by basic scientists and clinicians. The literature on the presence, position and loss of cytoplasmic droplets and their relationship to infertility in animal species is reviewed. It is proposed that a change in terminology is required: 'cytoplasmic droplet' should be used to describe normal droplets associated with functional sperm produced by normal spermatogenesis and 'excess residual cytoplasm' is suggested to describe abnormal droplets associated with dysfunctional sperm that are products of faulty spermatogenesis.
Institute of Reproductive Medicine of the University Clinic, Münster, Domagkstrasse 11, D-48129 Münster, Germany. cooper@uni-muenster.de
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D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009626:Terminology as Topic