Ein Defekt der Kopf-Schwanz-Verknüpfung bei menschlichen Spermatozoen*

Stage-specific expression of mouse germ cell-less-1 (mGCL-1), and multiple deformations during mgcl-1 deficient spermatogenesis leading to reduced fertility

A mouse homologue of Drosophila germ cell-less, mouse germ cell-less-1 (mgcl-1), is highly expressed in the testis. Previous report revealed that the fertility of the mgcl-1(-/-) male mice is reduced significantly as a result of various morphological abnormalities in the sperm (Kimura et al., 2003). To elucidate the function of mgcl-1 in spermatogenesis, the expression of mGCL-1 in the wild-type testis was examined. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that mGCL-1 first appeared in the nuclei of the pachytene spermatocytes at stage VI of the seminiferous epithelium, and existed in those of spermatids until step 8 during spermatogenesis. mGCL-1 was not detectable after step 9 spermatids. The testicular cells and epididymal sperm were further analyzed morphologically using mgcl-1(-/-) mice. In the testis, deformed nuclei first occurred in the pachytene spermatocytes at stage VI, which is consistent with the time of the first appearance of the mGCL-1 protein in the wild-type testis. Abnormal nuclei and acrosomes were found in spermatids after step 5, and nuclei of the spermatids and epididymal sperm were frequently invaginated. In addition, variously deformed sperm such as bent-neck, multi-headed or multi-nucleated sperm were observed in the mgcl-1(-/-) cauda epididymidis. However, several key structures such as the acroplaxome marginal ring (Kierszenbaum et al., 2003), postacrosomal sheath, and posterior ring apparently formed. In addition, MN7 and MN13, essential substances for fertilization that are located in sperm heads, were detectable in the mgcl-1 null sperm. These observations provide important insights into the mechanisms regulating the nuclear architecture and causes of human infertility.

Decapitated and decaudated spermatozoa in man, and pathogenesis based on the ultrastructure

The ultrastructure of decapitated tails and decaudated heads of ejaculated spermatozoa from an infertile man were investigated. The decaudated heads had the nucleus and acrosome, but neither the implantation fossa nor the basal plate were observed at the caudal pole of the nucleus. The nuclear membrane at this portion showed numerous nuclear pores. The decapitated tails contained the proximal centriole at the proximal end. In addition, most decapitated tails had segmented columns, outer coarse fibres, axoneme, mitochondrial sheath and fibrous sheath in the normal position. The ultrastructure reflects the high motility of the decapitated tails of the spermatozoa. Drastic abnormalities were found in the developing spermatids in the biopsied testes. In spermatids later than the Golgi phase, the pair of centrioles were floating in the cytoplasm of the spermatid, but the distal centriole elongated the flagellum. Neither the implantation fossa nor the basal plate were observed at the caudal pole of the nucleus. It is concluded that the tail might be separated from the head before or after completion of tail formation in spermatids. The explanation for why the proximal centriole failed to connect to the nucleus is unknown.

A case of decapitated spermatozoa in an infertile man

A case of headless or decapitated spermatozoa of an infertile man is reported. The 33-year-old patient showed almost normal spermiogram except for a high percentage (more than 90%) of headless spermatozoa. Both hypoosmotic swelling and zona-free hamster egg tests showed that most headless spermatozoa appeared to be normal in their function as tails. The ultrastructure of the ejaculated spermatozoa was observed using a surface replica method and by conventional ultrathin sectioning. The headless spermatozoa were almost normal in structure except for the absence of the head. Tailless heads were rarely observed. Varieties of ultrastructural abnormalities were observed in spermatozoa heads. Among them, abnormalities in the nuclear membrane covering the posterior pole of the nucleus were prominent. The implantation fossa and the basal plate were not formed. Instead, the nuclear membrane with numerous nuclear pores was found in this region. The decapitation seemed to take place between the region of the basal plate and the proximal centriole.

Physiology and pathophysiology of the human spermatozoon: the role of electron microscopy

In this article, the major contributions of electron microscopy to the present understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of the human spermatozoon are reviewed. The ultrastructural organization of sperm organelles playing a significant role for cell function and, therefore, for the reproductive process is described. Also, the major abnormalities and defects of the various organellar systems and how they impair the reproductive function and/or the viability of the cell are reviewed.