Sperm morphology, motility and fertilisation capacity in the myobatrachid frog Crinia georgiana

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin A. Dziminski ◽  
J. D. Roberts ◽  
Leigh W. Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Male Fertility ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Sperm Head ◽  
Swimming Velocity ◽  
Male Body ◽  
Sperm Viability ◽  
Sperm Traits

Sperm traits have been found to vary between individuals within populations in a variety of taxa. Sperm motility, morphometry and viability may be expected to have important effects on male fertility, although previous studies have found varying patterns, especially in external fertilisers. In the present study, we examined the effects of sperm swimming velocity, the proportion of motile spermatozoa, sperm head and tail length and the proportion of live spermatozoa on fertilisation success in the externally fertilising myobatrachid frog Crinia georgiana using IVF techniques and by controlling sperm numbers. We found no effect of any of the sperm traits we measured on IVF success. Neither did we find any relationship between sperm morphology and sperm performance. There was a negative relationship between sperm viability and male body size, which could be a function of age or an alternative tactic of differential investment in spermatozoa by smaller-sized males using sneak tactics in multiple matings. In contrast with most externally fertilising aquatic organisms, high rates of fertilisation appear to be achieved in C. georgiana with relatively low sperm swimming speeds.

scholarly journals The effects of inbreeding on sperm morphometry of captive-bred endangered mammals

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (8) ◽  
pp. 599-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Lawrence ◽  
G. Mastromonaco ◽  
K. Goodrowe ◽  
R.M. Santymire ◽  
W. Waddell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Sperm Head ◽  
Head Width ◽  
Canis Rufus ◽  
Sperm Tail ◽  
Sperm Morphometry ◽  
Red Wolves

Captive breeding is used for the conservation of endangered species, but inbreeding can result when a small number of founders are used to establish populations. Inbreeding can reduce the proportion of normal sperm in an ejaculate, but may also have effects on sperm size and shape (morphometry). We investigated the effects of inbreeding on sperm morphometry of black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes (Audubon and Bachman, 1851)) and red wolves (Canis rufus Audubon and Bachman, 1851) from captive breeding programs to determine if more inbred males produced sperm of poor quality (bulky head, small midpiece, short tail). We measured sperm head length, head width, midpiece length, midpiece width, and tail length on 10 sperm from each male of both species. A negative relationship between variation in sperm tail length and inbreeding coefficient (f) was found in black-footed ferret, suggesting that more inbred individuals will have reduced genetic and phenotypic variation. Analyses indicated a negative relationship between sperm head width and f and a positive relationship between sperm tail length and f in red wolf, suggesting that more inbred male red wolves could have faster sperm. These results indicate that inbreeding affects functionally important aspects of sperm morphometry, but that these effects may not be entirely negative.

Sperm morphology of the Rattini – are the interspecific differences due to variation in intensity of intermale sperm competition?

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (11) ◽  
pp. 1434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tessa Pahl ◽  
Hanna J. McLennan ◽  
Yun Wang ◽  
Anang S. Achmadi ◽  
Kevin C. Rowe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Sperm Head ◽  
Apical Hook ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Murine Rodent ◽  
Murine Rodents ◽  
Sperm Size

It is widely accepted that in mammals a causal relationship exists between postcopulatory sexual selection and relative testes mass of the species concerned, but how much it determines sperm size and shape is debatable. Here we detailed for the largest murine rodent tribe, the Rattini, the interspecific differences in relative testes mass and sperm form. We found that residual testes mass correlates with sperm head apical hook length as well as its angle, together with tail length, and that within several lineages a few species have evolved highly divergent sperm morphology with a reduced or absent apical hook and shorter tail. Although most species have a relative testes mass of 1–4%, these derived sperm traits invariably co-occur in species with much smaller relative testes mass. We therefore suggest that high levels of intermale sperm competition maintain a sperm head with a long apical hook and long tail, whereas low levels of intermale sperm competition generally result in divergent sperm heads with a short or non-existent apical hook and shorter tail. We thus conclude that sexual selection is a major selective force in driving sperm head form and tail length in this large tribe of murine rodents.

scholarly journals Sperm morphology, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration and swimming velocity: unexpected relationships in a passerine bird

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1837) ◽  
pp. 20161558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clair Bennison ◽  
Nicola Hemmings ◽  
Lola Brookes ◽  
Jon Slate ◽  
Tim Birkhead
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Passerine Bird ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Swimming Velocity ◽  
Sperm Function ◽  
Sperm Length ◽  
Atp Content ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Sperm Traits

The relationship between sperm energetics and sperm function is poorly known, but is central to our understanding of the evolution of sperm traits. The aim of this study was to examine how sperm morphology and ATP content affect sperm swimming velocity in the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata . We exploited the high inter-male variation in this species and created extra experimental power by increasing the number of individuals with very long or short sperm through artificial selection. We found a pronounced quadratic relationship between total sperm length and swimming velocity, with velocity increasing with length up to a point, but declining in the very longest sperm. We also found an unexpected negative association between midpiece length and ATP content: sperm with a short midpiece generally contained the highest concentration of ATP. Low intracellular ATP is therefore unlikely to explain reduced swimming velocity among the very longest sperm (which tend to have a shorter midpiece).

scholarly journals Greater sperm complexity in the Australasian old endemic rodents (Tribe: Hydromyini) is associated with increased levels of inter-male sperm competition

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna J. McLennan ◽  
Stefan Lüpold ◽  
Pete Smissen ◽  
Kevin C. Rowe ◽  
William G. Breed
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Sperm Head ◽  
Sperm Tail ◽  
Apical Hook ◽  
Sexually Selected Traits ◽  
Male Sperm ◽  
Murid Rodents ◽  
Selected Traits

Spermatozoa exhibit considerable interspecies morphological variation across mammals, especially among murid rodents. In Australasia, most murids in the tribe Hydromyini have a spermatozoon with a highly complex head exhibiting an apical hook, characteristic of most murids, and two projections that extend from its upper concave surface, the ventral processes. In the present study we performed a phylogenetically controlled comparison of sperm morphology across 45 species of hydromyine rodents to test the hypothesis that the length and angle of both the apical hook and ventral processes, as well as the length of the sperm tail, increase with relative testes mass as a proxy for differences in levels of inter-male sperm competition. Although both sperm head protrusions exhibited considerable variation in their length and angle across species, only the angles increased significantly in relation to relative testes mass. Further, the length of the sperm flagellum was positively associated with relative testes mass. These results suggest that, in hydromyine rodents, the angle of the apical hook and ventral processes of the sperm head, as well as the sperm tail length, are likely to be sexually selected traits. The possible functional significance of these findings is briefly discussed.

scholarly journals Linking sperm length and velocity: the importance of intramale variation

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 797-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
John L. Fitzpatrick ◽  
Francisco Garcia-Gonzalez ◽  
Jonathan P. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Swimming Velocity ◽  
Sperm Length ◽  
Functional Link ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
And Function ◽  
Sperm Traits

Selection imposed through sperm competition is commonly thought to promote the evolution of longer sperm, since sperm length is assumed to be positively associated with sperm swimming velocity. Yet, the basis for this assumption remains controversial, and there is surprisingly little intraspecific evidence demonstrating such a link between sperm form and function. Here, we show that sperm length and velocity are highly correlated in the sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma , but importantly we report that failure to account for within-male variation in these sperm traits can obscure this relationship. These findings, in conjunction with the mounting evidence for extremely high levels of intra-specific variance in sperm traits, suggest that a functional link between sperm morphology and velocity may be more prevalent than what current evidence suggests. Our findings also suggest that selection for faster swimming sperm may promote the evolution of longer sperm, thereby supporting recent findings from macroevolutionary studies.

scholarly journals Observation of sperm-head vacuoles and sperm morphology under light microscope

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Seog Park ◽  
Sol Park ◽  
Duck Sung Ko ◽  
Dong Wook Park ◽  
Ju Tae Seo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Light Microscope ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Sperm Head

scholarly journals Effect of Tramadol on Sperm Profile of Male Albino Rats

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
I. S. Esua ◽  
U. U. Uno ◽  
U. B. Ekaluo
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Sperm Count ◽  
Sperm Head ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Albino Rats ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Sperm Viability ◽  
Albino Rat ◽  
Significant Difference

Background and Aim: Tramadol is a potent analgesic effective in the treatment of mild to severe pains. However, the use of the drug can pose a threat to other organs and systems. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of graded doses of tramadol on sperm profile of male albino rats. Materials and Methods: Eighteen male rats were divided into three groups (A, B and C) using completely randomized design (CRD) with six rats in each group. Rats in group A served as the control group and were given just food and water while groups B and C were given tramadol at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight (BW) respectively, daily for the period of 65 days. The treatment was administered via oral gavage and at the end of the treatments, the rats were sacrificed. Immediately after sacrifice, a puncture was made in the epididymis with a sterile pin and examined for semen pH. The epididymes were processed for epididymal sperm motility, viability, count and sperm head abnormality. Results: There was no significant difference in the weight of testes and semen pH. Sperm viability, sperm motility, sperm count and weight of epididymes significantly reduced (p<0.05) in tramadol treated animals when compared with the control. Results also indicated statistically significant (p<0.05) increase in sperm head abnormalities in rats treated with tramadol when compared with the control. Conclusion: The results obtained from this study reveal that tramadol has negative effects on weight of epididymes, sperm count, sperm viability, sperm motility and sperm head abnormalities in male albino rat as mammalian models in a dose dependent manner.

scholarly journals The Tug1 Locus is Essential for Male Fertility

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan P. Lewandowski ◽  
Gabrijela Dumbović ◽  
Audrey R. Watson ◽  
Taeyoung Hwang ◽  
Emily Jacobs-Palmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Male Fertility ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Sperm Count ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Genomic Region ◽  
Complete Penetrance ◽  
Abnormal Sperm ◽  
Lncrna Locus ◽  
Mammalian Genomes ◽  
Taurine Upregulated Gene 1

ABSTRACTBackgroundSeveral long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to function as central components of molecular machines that play fundamental roles in biology. While the number of annotated lncRNAs in mammalian genomes has greatly expanded, their functions remain largely uncharacterized. This is compounded by the fact that identifying lncRNA loci that have robust and reproducible phenotypes when mutated has been a challenge.ResultsWe previously generated a cohort of 20 lncRNA loci knockout mice. Here, we extend our initial study and provide a more detailed analysis of the highly conserved lncRNA locus, Taurine Upregulated Gene 1 (Tug1). We report that Tug1 knockout male mice are sterile with complete penetrance due to a low sperm count and abnormal sperm morphology. Having identified a lncRNA loci with a robust phenotype, we wanted to determine which, if any, potential elements contained in the Tug1 genomic region (DNA, RNA, protein, or the act of transcription) have activity. Using engineered mouse models and cell-based assays, we provide evidence that the Tug1 locus harbors three distinct regulatory activities – two noncoding and one coding: (i) a cis DNA repressor that regulates many neighboring genes, (ii) a lncRNA that can regulate genes by a trans-based function, and finally (iii) Tug1 encodes an evolutionary conserved peptide that when overexpressed impacts mitochondrial membrane potential.ConclusionsOur results reveal an essential role for the Tug1 locus in male fertility and uncover three distinct regulatory activities in the Tug1 locus, thus highlighting the complexity present at lncRNA loci.

Standard Sperm Morphology as a Predictor of Male Fertility Potential

1992 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Check ◽  
A. Bollendorf ◽  
M. Press ◽  
T. Blue
Keyword(s):  
Male Fertility ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Fertility Potential

scholarly journals Sperm morphology, swimming velocity, and longevity in the house sparrow Passer domesticus

2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 557-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrice Helfenstein ◽  
Murielle Podevin ◽  
Heinz Richner
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
House Sparrow ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Swimming Velocity
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