The ultrastructural details of fertilization in the fern Marsilea vestita, including gamete approach and fusion, the fate of the spermatozoid organelles and the development of a possible block to polyspermy are described. The spermatozoid approaches the egg through layers of mucilage that surround the megaspores. It moves down the neck of the archegonium into the cavity above the egg. In order ...

PURPOSE We assessed reproductive and testicular function in adult rats after testicular torsion created before, during and after puberty, and with vs without resveratrol or arginine treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Age matched rats were divided into groups, including simulated surgery without testicular torsion, 720-degree testicular torsion for 4 hours, testicular torsion with resveratrol tr...

Background: Antioxidant enzymes and selenium in semen plasma have vital effects on reducing lipid peroxidation of spermatozoid membrane elderly organisms by preventing the destructive reactive oxygen species. Therefore, use antioxidants is essential for normal testicular function spermatogenesis. Methods: In this experimental study, 44 male Wistar rats aged 2.5 months (young) Winstar 11 (old) w...

We propose a technique to compute the fraction of boar spermatozoid heads which present an intracellular density distribution pattern hypothesized as normal by veterinary experts. This approach offers a potential for digital image processing estimation of sperm capacitation which can substitute expensive staining techniques. We extract a model distribution from a training set of heads assumed a...

The microtubules on the outside of the nucleus of the mature spermatozoid of Pteridium form a complex with the envelope, and the perinuclear space is eliminated. These dissimilar components are held firmly together, possibly by hydrophobic bonding. The outer part of the chromatin is also attached to the inner boundary of the envelope, and pulls away when the envelope is detached.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia is a genetically inherited syndrome characterized by cilia immotility or dysmotility. Deficiency in mucociliary clearance produces chronic respiratory infections since birth, male sterility by spermatozoid immotility and situs inversus in 40-50% of patients (Kartagener's syndrome). Diagnosis is made by analyzing cilia motility with high-speed digital video and ciliar ...