Parasitology Research

, Volume 103, Issue 6, pp 1397–1405 | Cite as

Spermiogenesis and sperm ultrastructure of Valipora mutabilis Linton, 1927 (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea, Gryporhynchidae)

  • Aneta Yoneva
  • Zdzisław Świderski
  • Katia Georgieva
  • Pavel N. Nikolov
  • Yana Mizinska
  • Boyko B. Georgiev
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

This is the first ultrastructural study of the spermiogenesis and the mature spermatozoon of a cyclophyllidean cestode of the family Gryporhynchidae. The spermiogenesis of Valipora mutabilis begins with the formation of a differentiation zone delimited by arching membranes and containing two centrioles. One of the centrioles develops an axoneme that grows directly into the cytoplasmic protrusion. The other centriole remains situated in a cytoplasmic bud and is subsequently aborted (type IV of cestode spermiogenesis). The mature spermatozoon of V. mutabilis is a filiform cell, tapered at both extremities and lacks mitochondria. The anterior extremity is characterised by the presence of an apical cone and a single helicoidal crested body. The axoneme is of 9 + ‘1’ trepaxonematan pattern, with a periaxonemal sheath. The cortical microtubules are twisted at an angle of about 45° to the spermatozoon axis. The nucleus is electron dense and spirally coiled around the axoneme. The cytoplasm is electron lucent and contains numerous granules of electron-dense material. In contrast to a recent opinion for close phylogenetic relationships, these ultrastructural data demonstrate the distant position between gryporhynchids and the family Taeniidae. The most similar pattern in the ultrastructure of the spermiogenesis and the mature spermatozoon has been described for dilepidids, some hymenolepidids and some anoplocephalids.

Keywords

Mature Spermatozoon Cortical Microtubule Anterior Extremity Sperm Ultrastructure Cytoplasmic Protrusion 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. S.R. Stoitsova (Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) for kindly providing fixed and embedded specimens of V. mutabilis and to Dr P. Zekhtindzhiev (Institute of Zoology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) for his help in the field studies. This study was supported by the National Science Fund, Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria, grant B-1539/05. The collaborative research was facilitated by the cooperation agreement between the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Polish Academy of Sciences.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2008

Authors and Affiliations

  • Aneta Yoneva
    • 1
  • Zdzisław Świderski
    • 2
    • 3
  • Katia Georgieva
    • 1
  • Pavel N. Nikolov
    • 4
  • Yana Mizinska
    • 1
  • Boyko B. Georgiev
    • 4
    • 5
  1. 1.Institute of Experimental Pathology and ParasitologyBulgarian Academy of SciencesSofiaBulgaria
  2. 2.W. Stefański Institute of ParasitologyPolish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
  3. 3.Department of General Biology and ParasitologyWarsaw Medical UniversityWarsawPoland
  4. 4.Central Laboratory of General EcologyBulgarian Academy of SciencesSofiaBulgaria
  5. 5.Department of ZoologyNatural History Museum, Cromwell RoadLondonUK

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