Spermiogenesis in the soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, was examined by transmission electron microscopy. The process includes nuclear elongation, chromatin condensation, acrosomal and flagellar development, and elimination of excess cytoplasm. In stage I, the proacrosomal vesicle occurs next to a shallow fossa of the nucleus, and a dense acrosomal granule forms beneath it. A smaller subacrosomal granule in the middle of the fibrous layer is related to the development of intranuclear tubules. The nucleus begins to move eccentrically. In stage II, the round proacrosomal vesicle is flattened by protrusion of the nuclear fossa, and the dense acrosomal granule diffuses into the vesicle, as the fibrous layer forms the subacrosomal cone. Circular manchettes develop around the nucleus, and the chromatin coagulates into small granules. The movement of the nucleus causes rearrangement of the cytoplasm. In stage III, the front of the elongating nucleus protrudes out of the spermatid and is covered by the flat acrosome; coarse granules replace the small ones within the nucleus. At the posterior pole of the head, mitochondria move backward. Numerous microtubules begin to assemble the axoneme of flagellum. In stage IV, the chromatin concentrates to dense homogeneous phase. The circular manchette is reorganized longitudinally. The Sertoli process covers the acrosome and the residues of the cytoplasmic lobes are eliminated. In stage V, the sperm head matures. After dissolution of the longitudinal manchette, the mitochondria arrange themselves around the proximal and distal centrioles. Caudal to the mitochondrial mass, a fibrous sheath surrounds the proximal portion of the flagellum.
(c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.