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Fine structural traits of Crocidura shantungensis caudal epididymal spermatozoa

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Abstract

The structural and morphometric traits of spermatozoa reflect species-specific evolutionary and functional characters. The shrew, Crocidura shantungensis, which is an indigenous species of Ulleung-do, is dominant on this island and is suspected to have unique traits different from other shrews. Based on a previous sperm ultrastructural analysis, the structural and morphometric traits of caudal epididymal spermatozoa were evaluated by light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Total length was 110.0 μm. The head was paddle shaped with a globular nucleus and was 16.0 μm in length. The acrosomal cap covered four-fifths of the nucleus, and the subacrosomal space had sawtooth-shaped edges. The number of mitochondrial gyres was 84–86. Nine segmented columns in the neck consisted of 12 knobs, and each column was fused with outer dense fiber. The outer dense fibers 1, 5, and 6 were thicker than the others. Outer fiber 1 was shaped like a horseshoe, whereas 5 and 6 were fused with each other. Numerous satellite fibers were scattered on the mid-piece between outer fibers 4 and 5, and 6 and 7. Two specific strong electron-dense fibers were found uniquely near the satellite fibers. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the caudal sperm of Ulleung-do C. shantungensis has unique ultrastructural and morphometric traits based on common sperm characters of the subfamilies, suggesting unique physiological roles in reproduction.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Society of Developmental Biology in Korea.

Conflict of interest

The authors reported no potential conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Development and Physiology, School of Biosciences and Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Sungshin Women’s University, Seoul, 142-742, Korea

    Yong-Pil Cheon

  2. Department of Life Science, Sangmyung University, 7 Hongji-Dong, Jongrho-Gu, Seoul, 110-743, Korea

    Sung-Ho Lee

  3. Department of Science Education, Kyungnam University, 449 Woryeong-dong Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 631-701, Korea

    Jung-Hun Lee

Authors
  1. Yong-Pil Cheon
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  2. Sung-Ho Lee
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  3. Jung-Hun Lee
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Correspondence to Jung-Hun Lee.

Additional information

Communicated by Andreas Schmidt-Rhaesa.

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Cheon, YP., Lee, SH. & Lee, JH. Fine structural traits of Crocidura shantungensis caudal epididymal spermatozoa. Zoomorphology 134, 317–324 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-014-0249-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-014-0249-0

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