SPERM MORPHOLOGY

• Ejaculated semen has two main components –

Spermatozoa & Seminal Plasma.
• Spermatozoa – plural
• Spermatozoon – singular
• Sperm – Irrespective of singular or plural
Sperm:
• The male gamete produced by spermatogenesis in
the seminiferous tubule of the testis.
• 1st discovered by Anton Von Leeuwenhock in the
year 1677.
STRUCTURE / PARTS OF SPERMATOZOA

HEAD
Neck
Middle piece / Mid piece

TAIL Principal piece / Main piece

End piece
 Head
Sperm Structure
Acrosome
Neck

Middle
Piece

Principal
Piece

End Piece
 Biometry of Bull Sperm
• Total Length = 68 – 74 µm &
• Width (max.) = 4 – 5 µm

Length of different parts of sperm-

 Head = 7 – 9.5 µ
 Neck = 0.3 – 1.5 µ
 Mid-piece = 11 – 14 µ
 Principal piece = 45 – 50 µ
 End piece =2–4µ

In domestic animal sperm, Middle

piece is always longer than Head
 Shape of Sperm head in Different Species

1. In most of the domestic animal s/a Bull, Boar : Flattened & Ovoid.
2. In most of the Rodents s/a Mouse, Rat etc. : Asymetrical & Hook like
3. In Fowl e.g. Cock : Elongated
4. In man : Pear- shaped
Shape of Sperm head under microscope
 Components of Sperm Head

Mainly 3 components –
(a). Nucleus,

(b). Acrosome, and

(c). Post acrosomal sheath or,

Post acrosomal cap or,

Post nuclear sheath.
 Components of Sperm Head

Acrosome

Nuclear ring
Post acrosomal
Sagital section of sperm head
sheath or cap

Nucleus
 Sperm Nucleus

• Principal component of sperm head and is

composed of densely packed chromatins
which contain the DNA of the chromosomes.
• Sperm cell nucleus contains only half of the
amount of DNA present in the somatic cells of
the same species. i.e. Sperm cell nucleus
contains haploid DNA whereas somatic cell
nucleus has diploid DNA.
• Two forms of sperm are there s/a,

X – chromosome bearing spermatozoa and Y

- chromosome bearing spermatozoa.
 Acrosome and Post acrosomal sheath

Acrosome (60 %)

Nuclear ring

Post acrosomal cap (40%)

Base

Junction between acrosome and post acrosomal cap of

sperm head is called Nuclear ring.
 Acrosome

• It is a cap like structure on the head of the spermatozoa

that covers 60% of the anterior portion of the sperm
head.

• Acrosome is a double layered membranous sac made up

of an inner acrosomal memb. & an outer acrosomal
memb.

• Morphology of the acrosome should be maintained for

the sperm to undergo capacitation and acrosome
reaction in the female reproductive tract for attaining
fertilizing ability.
 Acrosome

• Hence the acrosomal cap has received considerable attention

in sperm morphology due to its importance during fertilization.

• Any damage or loss of the acrosome leads to infertility or

sterility problem. Hence the evaluation of the acrosomal status
gets importance.

• Acrosome contains some enzymes s/a, Acrosin,

Hyaluronidase, Esterase, acid- phosphatase etc. Some of
these enzymes s/a, Acrosin, Hyaluronidase help the sperm
head to penetrate the corona radiate and zona pellucida of
ovum during fertilization.
Segments or Parts of acrosome

Apical segment (or, ridge)

Principal / main segment

Equatorial segment

Post acrosomal sheath

Acrosome has 3 segments -
1) Apical segment (or, ridge)
2) Principal / main segment.
3) Equatorial segment

Apical segment

Principal / main segment

Equatorial segment
Layers in sperm head –

There are 6 layers

1) Nucleus – is covered by
Nuclear membrane which
is double layered.

2) Acrosome – double layered

& made up of an inner
acrosomal memb. & an
outer acrosomal memb.

3) Plasma memb. - Externally

sperm head is covered by
plasma memb. which is
also double layered.
Acrosome
Plasma Membrane

Nucleus

Fig. Sperm head under Electron microscope

•Acrosin
•Hyaluronidase

Acrosome

Nucleus
Plasma
Membrane
 NECK
• Very small structure which connects the head with mid-piece.
• Most vulnerable and fragile part of sperm.

Neck has 2 parts –

 Capitulum and
 Segmented or
Laminated columns.
Capitulum fits into the
implantation socket
 MID-PIECE
• A part of sperm tail that extend from the neck to annulas or
jensen’s ring and is surrounded by mitochondrial sheath or helix.

Annulas or Jensen’s ring

 Fig. 1. Cross section of mid-piece {9 + (9+2)}
Cell memb. (Double layered)

Mitochondrial sheath / helix

9 – coarse outer fiber / dense o. f.

9 – doublets / 9- fine inner fiber

2 – Central fiber

Mid – piece consists of –

Axoneme, Outer dense fibers and mitochondrial sheath.
Ultrastructure of Mid – piece

Axoneme
(9 + 2)
 Axoneme (9 + 2 arrangement)
• Composed of 9 pairs of microtubules arranged radially around
2 central filaments i.e 9 + 2 arrangement.

• Extends longitudinally at the center of the sperm tail. (It forms

the central core of entire lengths of the tail).

Axoneme
(9 + 2)
 Outer dense fibers
• Another sets of 9 – fibers called outer dense fibers / outer coarse
fibers surround the axoneme and togetherly form the axial- fiber
bundle i.e. 9 + (9+2) arrangement

• Axial- fiber bundle extends throughout the length of the mid-piece

and upto some extent of principal-piece.
 Axial – fiber bundle of Mid-piece
9 + (9 + 2)
Axoneme

Outer coarse fiber or, 9 – doublets or, Central fiber

outer dense fiber fine inner fiber

 9 + (9 + 2) together known as Axial fiber bundle

 9 + 2 together known as Axoneme
Cell memb. (Double layered)

Mitochondrial sheath / helix

9 – coarse outer fiber

or dense outer fiber

9 – doublets or
9- fine inner fiber

2 – Central fiber
Mitochondrial sheath –
Mitochondria remain arranged in a helical pattern around the ‘outer dense fibers’ and form the
mitochondrial sheath.
This Mitochondrial helix (sheath) – generate energy needed for sperm motility.

Annulas or Jensen’s ring

 PRINCIPAL – PIECE / MAIN PIECE

• Longest part of spermatozoon, located posterior to the annulus

and extends to near the end of the tail.

• Composed of – the Axoneme, its associated coarse fibers and a

tough fibrous sheath / tail sheath.

• There is no mitochondrial helix.

• All the 9 – outer coarse / dense fibers persists for a varying

distance and eventually disappear at different levels.
 Fig. 2. Cross section of principal - piece

Cell memb. (Double layered)

Tail sheath / Fibrous sheath

Longitudinal elements

9 – doublets/ 9- fine inner fiber

2 – Central fibers

 There is no mitochondrial helix.

 Only Axoneme (9+2) is present.
 Tail sheath / fibrous sheath – it provides stability for the contractile elements
of the tail or strength to the tail.
 Fibrous sheath of principal - piece

Tail sheath / Fibrous sheath

Longitudinal elements

2 – Central fibers

 Arises from annulus.

 Composed of 2 parallel running longitudinal columns on each side of the tail on
the plane of the 2 central fibers.
 Tail/fibrous sheath is strengthen by these 2 pillar.
So, the fibrous sheath is comprised of 2 closely spaced semi-circular ribs and 2
pillars or columns.
Cell memb. (Double layered)

Tail sheath / Fibrous sheath

Longitudinal elements

9 – doublets/ 9- fine inner fiber

2 – Central fibers
 Fig. 2. Cross section of principal - piece

Annulus
Midpiece Principal
Piece

Fibrous
Sheath or helix
 End piece / terminal piece
• Last portion of the tail that extends from posterior end of the fibrous
sheath.
• Contains only the central axoneme (9+2) covered by the plasma
membrane.
• whole structure of sperm is externally covered by a plasma membrane.

Fibrous sheath
 Fig. 3. Cross section of End – piece (9 + 2)

Cell memb. (Double layered)

9 – doublets/ 9- fine inner fiber

2 – Central fibers

 Contains only the Axoneme (9+2) which is covered by the plasma membrane.
 Spermatozoon

Head Neck Tail

Nucleus Acrosome Post acrosomal

sheath

Mid-piece Principal - piece End piece

Axoneme Axoneme Axoneme

Outer dense fiber Coarse fibers

Mitichondrial sheath Tail or Fibrous sheath

 Axoneme

Middle Piece Principal Piece

 Axoneme

Middle Piece Principal Piece

Axoneme
Microtubule Sliding in Sperm Tail