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PubMed1961

Changes in the spermatozoon during fertilization in Hydroides hexagonus (Annelida). I. Passage of the acrosomal region through the vitelline membrane.

In the previous paper the structure of the acrosomal region of the spermatozoon was described. The present paper describes the changes which this region undergoes during passage through the vitelline membrane. The material used consisted of moderately polyspermic eggs of Hydroides hexagonus, osmium-fixed usually 9 seconds after insemination. There are essentially four major changes in the acrosome during passage of the sperm head through the vitelline membrane. First, the acrosome breaks open apically by a kind of dehiscence which results in the formation of a well defined orifice. Around the lips of the orifice the edges of the plasma and acrosomal membranes are then found to be fused to form a continuous membranous sheet. Second, the walls of the acrosomal vesicle are completely everted, and this appears to be the means by which the apex of the sperm head is moved through the vitelline membrane. The lip of the orifice comes to lie deeper and deeper within the vitelline membrane. At the same time the lip itself is made up of constantly changing material as first the material of the outer zone and then that of the intermediate zone everts. One is reminded of the lip of an amphibian blastopore, which during gastrulation maintains its morphological identity as a lip but is nevertheless made up of constantly changing cells, with constantly changing outline and even constantly changing position. Third, the large acrosomal granule rapidly disappears. This disappearance is closely correlated with a corresponding disappearance of a part of the principal material of the vitelline membrane from before it, and the suggestion is made that the acrosomal granule is the source of the lysin which dissolves this part of the vitelline membrane. Fourth, in the inner zone the fifteen or so short tubular invaginations of the acrosomal membrane, present in the normal unreacted spermatozoon, lengthen considerably to become a tuft of acrosomal tubules. These tubules are the first structures of the advancing sperm head to touch the plasma membrane of the egg. It is notable that the surface of the acrosomal tubules which once faced into the closed acrosomal cavity becomes the first part of the sperm plasma membrane to meet the plasma membrane of the egg. The acrosomal tubules of Hydroides, which arise simply by lengthening of already existing shorter tubules, are considered to represent the acrosome filaments of other species.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1960

Formation of sperm entry holes in the vitelline membrane of Hydroides hexagonus (Annelida) and evidence of their lytic origin.

Electron micrographs of inseminated eggs of Hydroides hexagonus previously had shown that in the immediate vicinity of the penetrating spermatozoön a small portion of the vitelline membrane regularly was absent, and it had been suggested that this area was a hole made by lytic activity of the individual spermatozoön during the course of its passage through the membrane. This deduction would receive support if it could be established that a sperm entry hole does form in living material. During the present study a hole repeatedly observed and photographed in the membrane of living eggs was found to arise as the spermatozoön penetrated the membrane. Gently compressed eggs formed exovates only through this hole. The holes, and exovates, were not found except at sperm entry sites. It was concluded that this hole is the counterpart of the area from which the membrane is absent in the electron micrographs cited above, and that the spermatozoön makes this hole. In an electron micrograph two spermatozoa which had penetrated the membrane at separate but closely neighboring points now occupy a single hole. It is argued that if each spermatozoön had displaced the membrane mechanically to make its hole, then there should be two holes, with a partition of membrane between them, but if each had eroded the membrane by applying lysin, a single hole should have formed as the eroded areas expanded and finally merged into one. The latter view agrees with the facts of the electron micrograph. It is concluded that lysis is the most probable means by which the individual spermatozoön makes its hole.

Animals↗
PubMed1960

Egg membrane lytic activity of sperm extract and its significance in relation to sperm entry in Hydroides hexagonus (Annelida).

Previous electron microscope studies indicated that the individual spermatozoön of Hydroides hexagonus forms a hole in the vitelline membrane by means of lysis. Other observations established that the hole is real, being visible in living material during sperm entry. During the present investigation sea water extracts from frozen-thawed sperm were tested for lytic effect on the membrane. In normal living eggs the membrane appears as a single thick envelope, but in electron micrographs of sections it is seen to consist of a narrow outer border layer, a wide principal or middle layer, and a narrow inner border layer. After immersion in sperm extract the outer border layer elevates but does not dissolve, the middle layer liquefies and disappears, and the inner border layer seems not to change. This is interpreted as lysis of the middle layer. The extract exerted the same effect on fertilized and unfertilized eggs. In electron micrographs the sections treated with extract greatly resemble that part of the membrane which has been penetrated by the individual spermatozoön. It is concluded that the individual spermatozoön, too, exerts a lytic effect. Together, the present and two earlier studies are considered clearly to demonstrate that in Hydroides the individual spermatozoön does indeed make an entry hole in the egg membrane by applying lytic material to that part of the membrane in its own vicinity.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Structure of the nervous system of Myzostoma cirriferum (Annelida) as revealed by immunohistochemistry and cLSM analyses.

The nervous systems of juvenile and adult Myzostoma cirriferum Leuckart, 1836, were stained with antisera against 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine, serotonin), FMRFamide, and acetylated alpha-tubulin in combination with the indirect fluorescence technique and analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The central nervous system consists of two small cerebral ganglia, connected by a dorsal commissure, a ventral nerve mass, and a pair of long circumesophageal connectives joining the former to the latter. The two neuropil cords within the ventral nerve mass curve outward and are joined to one another anteriorly and posteriorly. They are connected by 12 commissures, forming a ladder-like system. A single median nerve runs along the midventral axis. In addition to the circumesophageal connectives, 11 peripheral nerves arise from each main cord. The first innervates the anterior body region. The others form five groups of two nerves each, the first and thicker nerve of which is the parapodial nerve, innervating the parapodium and two corresponding cirri. Except for those in the most posterior group, the second nerves innervate the lateral organs and the body periphery. Serotonergic perikarya are arranged in six more or less distinct clusters, the first lying in front of and the other five between the main nerve cords. The distribution pattern of the FMRFamidergic perikarya is less clear and the somata lie between and outside the cords. One pair of dorsolateral longitudinal nerves was visualized by tubulin staining. Peripheral nerves and the commissures, in particular, demonstrate a segmental organization of the nervous system of M. cirriferum. Furthermore, their arrangement indicates that the body consists of six segments, the first of which is identifiable only by the first pair of peripheral nerves, the first two commissures, and the anteriormost ventral ganglion. The nervous system M. cirriferum thus exhibits several structures also found in the basic plan of the polychaete nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

The fine structure of the myoneural junctions in the body wall muscles in Branchiobdella pentodonta Whit. (Annelida, Oligochaeta).

The ultrastructure of the myoneural junctions in the body wall muscles has been studied in Branchiobdella pentodonta Whit. A single junctional type has been found. Within the terminal axon there are two types of vesicles, which differ in number, size and electron opacity. The junctional gap contains the basement membrane. The post-junctional membrane displays concave patches on which slender projections arising from the outer lamina of the sarcolemma extend into the junctional gap. These concave patches overlie a cytoplasmic lamina made up of electron dense material.

Annelida↗
PubMed1994

Intermittent swimming in the spermatozoa of the lugworm Arenicola marina (L.) (Annelida: Polychaeta).

Motile spermatozoa of the polychaete Arenicola marina were observed to swim intermittently. On the basis of the behaviour of the flagellum, the quiescent periods can be classified into two main types. The first are those in which, although the generation of the flagellar wave appears to be initiated, its passage down the axoneme appears blocked. This results in the formation of an acute bend (of approximately 2.65 rad) in the proximal region of the flagellum with the remainder of the axoneme remaining straight. These have been termed Type I quiescent periods and are very similar to the "cane-shaped" configuration which has been described in the spermatozoa of some sea urchins. Sperm may also enter a Type II quiescent period, in which both the propagation and the generation of flagellar waves appears blocked. The flagellum of such sperm appears straight or slightly curved and they can remain in this configuration for several minutes. With increased intensity and duration of irradiation, the length of time spent in Type II quiescent period was increased significantly. Both types of quiescent period were (1) reduced in duration and frequency by deletion of calcium from artificial sea water (ASW); (2) either abolished or reduced in duration by the addition of 1 mM cadmium chloride to ASW. In addition, flagellar waveforms very similar to those displayed by spermatozoa in Type I quiescent periods could be induced (if only for a short time) by the addition of the divalent cation ionophore A23187 to ASW.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Morphological and ultrastructural study of the ventral nerve cord in Branchiobdella pentodonta Whitman (Annelida, Oligochaeta).

The ventral nerve cord of Branchiobdella pentodonta consists of paired ganglia containing three different types of neurons, a central neuropil showing characteristic synapses and of an intersegmental apparatus made up of two large lateral connectives and a smaller ventral one. Some remarkable differences exist between the ventral nerve cord and that found in other oligochaetes; these include the presence of a large dorsal blood vessel, two dorsal muscular cells per metamere, and supportive glial cells ventral to the neuropil which have long transverse processes coming into contact with the segmental nerves.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Syntheses of nucleic acids during spermatogenesis in Nereis diversicolor (annelida polychaeta): a quantitative autoradiographic study.

The development of DNA and RNA synthesis in the germ cell population was studied after a 3H-thymidine or 3H-uridine pulse at each stage of spermatogenesis. The autoradiographic results show that the first sign (after 3 days in vitro) of cellular changes is an increase in RNA synthesis which reaches a maximum at day 5. DNA replication (premeiotic S phase) occurred at day 7, then cells entered meiotic prophase (day 9). Meiotic divisions and spermiogenesis occurred after 11 days. Silver grain counts permit the conclusion that RNA synthesis is clearly higher during premeiotic interphase (days 3-7) than during spermatogonial proliferation (day 0). It appears therefore that male meiotic differentiation in Nereidae is accompanied by increased RNA synthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Endocrine regulation of spermatogenesis in Nereis diversicolor (annelida polychaeta): experimental study of the control of meiotic differentiation.

In Nereidae, spermatogenesis is regulated by a hormone secreted by the supraesophageal ganglion (brain hormone). The hormonal concentration decreases with worm age. Spermatogonial proliferation in young worms proceeds under a high hormonal level whereas differentiation of spermatozoa in aged worms occurs in the absence of brain hormone. Spermatogonia were removed from the endocrine influence of the brain in vitro by the organ culture method. Isolated parapodia produced spermatozoa after 13 days. Control cultures were obtained by associating a parapodium with the prostomium of a young worm. It seems that the brain hormone inhibits the spermatocyte differentiation since removal of the brain results in increased RNA synthesis, followed by DNA replication, meiosis, and spermiogenesis (Bertout, '83). Modalities of the hormonal control of meiosis, especially at the level of the RNA syntheses related to meiotic differentiation, were investigated. Effects of reintroducing the hormonal influence during meiotic differentiation were studied through parapodium-prostomium associations at various time after the brain inhibition has been lifted. Effects or RNA inhibitors (actinomycin D, alpha-amanitin, cordycepin) were also tested. The results lead us to propose a hypothesis according to which brain hormone would interfere with molecular events related to the transition from the stage of spermatogonial proliferation (mitotic behavior) to the stage of meiotic differentiation (meiotic behavior).

Amanitins↗
PubMed2001

Comparative study of the cuticle in some aquatic oligochaetes (Annelida: Clitellata).

An examination of the cuticle of six aquatic oligochaete species using transmission electron microscopy revealed a larger morphological variation than previously known. Three freshwater species, Aulodrilus pluriseta, Spirosperma ferox (both Tubificidae), and Pristina breviseta (Naididae), and three marine species, Clitellio arenarius, Heterochaeta costata (both Tubificidae), and Paranais litoralis (Naididae), were investigated. The arrangement of the collagen fibers in the cuticle differs among the studied species. Only S. ferox shows an "orthogonal grid," i.e., layers of parallel fibers perpendicular to each other, as earlier described for lumbricids and enchytraeids. Clitellio arenarius and H. costata have fibers arranged in layers, while A. pluriseta and P. litoralis have irregularly distributed fibers. Pristina breviseta lacks cuticular fibers. The matrix surrounding the collagen fibers (when present) continues outside the fiber layer, making up a thin epicuticle, which has a unique banding in each of the studied species. The external surface of the epicuticle is covered with epicuticular projections. Their number, shape, and attachment to the epicuticle vary among the studied species. Furthermore, a distinctive internal substructure of the projections was observed in H. costata, A. pluriseta, S. ferox, and P. breviseta. Microvilli, extensions from the epidermal cells, penetrate the cuticle and terminate at its outer surface. In three species microvilli were observed to pinch off the epicuticular projections. The size, number, and shape of the latter vary; no typical microvilli were observed in S. ferox.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Morphological and ultrastructural aspects of Branchiobdella pentodonta Whit. (Annelida, Oligochaeta) suckers.

The muscular system in the posterior sucker of Branchiobdella pentodonta Whit. has circular, longitudinal and radial fibers. In the anterior sucker, which has circular and longitudinal fibers, the muscle system is scarce. Concentric fibers are found around the mouth. In both suckers the glandular element form voluminous complexes secreting mucus for attachment to the substrate. Suckers show neuromuscular junctions and three distinct types of neuroglandular junctions: one with typical neurosecretory granules, one with larger neurosecretory granules produced by cells located at the origin of the segmental nerves, and one with presynaptic vesicles. The second type is peculiar to the posterior sucker. A comparison is made between suckers of Branchiobdella and those of leeches.

Annelida↗