title: AFM characterization of rabbit spermatozoa.
abstract: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been applied for determining the topological and structural features of rabbit spermatozoa. Fresh ejaculated spermatozoa were adsorbed passively onto a silicon slide or by motility from suspension onto a poly(L-lysine)-coated glass coverslip and then imaged in air and in buffer saline, respectively. AFM images clearly highlighted many details of spermatozoa head, neck, and tail. Distinct features were observed in the plasmatic membrane of spermatozoa. In particular, head topography easily recognized the acrosome, equatorial segment, equatorial subsegment, and postacrosome regions. Moreover, AFM images revealed the presence of double belt of invaginations around the spermatozoa head, at the boundary between equatorial subsegment and postacrosome regions. All together, the collected AFM images clearly defined a detailed map of spermatozoa morphology while giving some hints on the internal structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ierardi
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niccolini
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alderighi
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gazzano
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solaro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048429:Cell Size; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D011817:Rabbits; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*