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Figure 2 | BMC Evolutionary Biology

Figure 2

From: Sperm structure and motility in the eusocial naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber: a case of degenerative orthogenesis in the absence of sperm competition?

Figure 2

Scanning and transmission electron micrographs of naked mole-rat spermatozoa. a) Scanning electron micrograph of a typical multi-lobed sperm head, b-h) Transmission electron micrographs of naked mole-rat spermatozoa sectioned in different planes: b) Longitudinal section almost similar to spermaozoon in (a) showing irregular arranged chromatin, small midpiece and thin tail; c) Two sperm heads showing severe fragmentation and small midpiece; d) Sperm head containing a simple acrosomal cap; d-e) Proximal centriole with capitulum and striations of cross banded structures; f) Transverse to oblique section of anterior part of midpiece showing mitochondria with tubular-like cristae, some cross banded structures and distal centriole; g) Axoneme (9+2 microtubules) surrounded by nine outer dense fibres in midpiece; h) Only axonome in tail principal piece without a fibrous sheath. ACR = acrosome, HEAD = sperm head, FRG = fragmented sperm head, CAP = capitulum, PC = proximal centriole, CBS = cross banded structures, DC = distal centriole, MIT = mitochondria, MP = midpiece. Scale bars: a, b, c = 1 ÎĽm; d, e, f = 0.5 ÎĽm; g, h = 0.25 ÎĽm.

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