Reproduction in the mexican leaf frog, Pachymedusa dacnicolor. IV. Spermatogenesis: A light and ultrasonic study.

Abstract

Primary spermatogonia have highly lobate nuclei and can be distinguished as pale and dark types on the basis of nuclear and cytoplasmic features. Nuclei of secondary spermatogonia are also lobate. Primary spermatocytes have spherical nuclei and display synaptinemal complexes in late zygotene-pachytene. Spermatocytes are connected by intercellular bridges, which persist through spermiogenesis. During spermiogenesis no acrosomal granule is formed. The acrosomal vesicle is large and forms in the apical part of the cell. A helical system of perinuclear microtubules accompanies the phase of nuclear elongation. Microtubules disappear in late spermatids and there forms a compact bundle of filaments which extends into the subacrosomal area. These filaments probably derive from the breakdown of the microtubules. A mitochondrial sleeve is formed around the proximal portion of the tail and much of it is cast off in the mature spermatid. The tail is composed of a spirally coiled contractile element and a stiff fibrous axial rod connected together by an undulating membrane. The axial rod and the axoneme-associated rodlet derive from a dense, juxtacentriolar fibrous mass. Sertoli cells surrounding the spermatogonial and spermatocyte cysts are slender and have oblong nuclei. In contrast, those associated with spermatids are columnar and have deeply indented nuclei. They possess many Golgi complexes, elongated mitochondria, cisternae of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, lysosome-like bodies, masses of glycogen particles, few lipid droplets, and an array of microtubules running longitudinally around the elongating spermatid nuclei. Desmosomes are formed between adjacent Sertoli cells.