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Fig. 3.1 Structure of cat spermatozoa (Sperm head DNA stained with Hoechst 33342).
Mitotracker Green staining of the midpiece (a), centrin immunostaining (arrow) in testicular (b),
and ejaculated (c) spermatozoa. Bar = 5 lm
through specific phases of the cell cycle (Palazzo et al.
2000
). Although this theory
remains to be tested in the cat, we suspect that sperm centrosomes in this species
do not contain essential proteins, which have been argued to provoke complete
maturation of this organelle in other species (Manandhar and Schatten
2000
;
Palazzo et al.
2000
; Goto et al.
2010
). Rather, our functional comparisons of
spermatozoa recovered from the testis, epididymis, and ejaculate point to a full
centrosomal maturation being acquired during epididymal transit. This matura-
tional phenomenon likely is associated with the accumulation of new cytosolic
proteins and/or protein phosphorylations in this region of the male reproductive
tract (Axnér
2006
).
3.3 Causes of Centrosomal Dysfunctions in Cat Spermatozoa
3.3.1 Impact of Teratospermia
The high proportion ([60 %) of abnormal spermatozoa in the ejaculates of certain
felid species, populations, or individuals can be a significant cause of infertility
through a host of functional failures, including from cells with apparently normal
structure (Pukazhenthi et al.
2006
). Nonetheless, Penfold et al. (
2003
) have
demonstrated that morphologically normal cat spermatozoa recovered from a
