A comparison of the ultrastructure of spray-frozen and freeze-etched or freeze-dried bull and boar spermatozoa with that after chemical fixation.

Abstract

The ultrastructure of bull and boar spermatozoa was investigated following different cryopreparation methods and chemical fixation. Spray-freezing was used for cryofixation in both freeze-etching and freeze-drying studies. Freeze-etching of boar spermatozoa revealed that the arrangement of the postnuclear striations differed from that in the bull. Freeze-drying gave excellent results for structural preservation, which were equal to those of chemical fixation. Some structural details not visible in chemically fixed cells were detected in freeze-dried and vacuum-embedded bull and boar spermatozoa, e.g. the arrangement of the lamellar nuclear contents, known from freeze-fractures, and a fine lamellar structure of the acrosomal contents. Cryofixation by spray-freezing combined with freeze-drying makes any contact of the cells with fixatives, buffer solutions and dehydration media unnecessary, and potentially provides all the advantages of ultrathin sectioning required for histochemical studies.

• Authors: W Pfaller, E Rovan, H Mairbäurl
• Journal: Journal of reproduction and fertility (J Reprod Fertil) Vol. 48 Issue 2 Pg. 285-90 (Nov 1976) ISSN: 0022-4251 [Print] England
• PMID: 994100 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Fixatives

Topics

• Acrosome (ultrastructure)
• Animals
• Cattle
• Cell Membrane (ultrastructure)
• Fixatives
• Flagella (ultrastructure)
• Freeze Drying
• Freeze Etching (methods)
• Male
• Microscopy, Electron
• Preservation, Biological (methods)
• Spermatozoa (ultrastructure)
• Swine