Sperm macrocephaly syndrome in the ostrich Struthio camelus : morphological characteristics and implications for motility

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dc.contributor.author Du Plessis, Lizette
dc.contributor.author Bonato, M.
dc.contributor.author Durandt, Chrisna
dc.contributor.author Cloete, S.W.P.
dc.contributor.author Soley, John Thomson
dc.date.accessioned 2019-04-01T07:30:02Z
dc.date.available 2019-04-01T07:30:02Z
dc.date.issued 2019
dc.description.abstract Sperm macrocephaly syndrome (SMS) is characterised by a high percentage of spermatozoa with enlarged heads and multiple tails, and is related to infertility. Although this multiple sperm defect has been described in other mammalian species, little is known about this anomaly in birds. Morphological examination of semen from nine South African black ostriches (Struthio camelus var. domesticus) involved in an AI trial revealed the variable presence of spermatozoa with large heads and multiple tails. Ultrastructural features of the defect were similar to those reported in mammals except that the multiple tails were collectively bound within the plasmalemma. The tails were of similar length and structure to those of normal spermatozoa, and the heads were 1.6-fold longer, emphasising the uniformity of the anomaly across vertebrate species. Flow cytometry identified these cells as diploid and computer-aided sperm analysis revealed that they swim slower but straighter than normal spermatozoa, probably due to the increased drag of the large head and constrained movement of the merged multiple tails. The high incidence of this defect in one male ostrich indicates that, although rare, SMS can occur in birds and may potentially have an adverse effect on breeding programs, particularly for endangered species. en_ZA
dc.description.department Anatomy and Physiology en_ZA
dc.description.department Immunology en_ZA
dc.description.librarian hj2019 en_ZA
dc.description.uri http://www.publish.csiro.au/rd en_ZA
dc.identifier.citation Du Plessis, L., Bonato, M., Durandt, C. et al. 2019, 'Sperm macrocephaly syndrome in the ostrich Struthio camelus: morphological characteristics and implications for motility', Reproduction, Fertility and Development 31(4) 712-723 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD18242. en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn 1031-3613 (print)
dc.identifier.issn 1448-5990 (online)
dc.identifier.other 10.1071/RD18242
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/68725
dc.language.iso en en_ZA
dc.publisher CSIRO Publishing en_ZA
dc.rights © CSIRO 2018 en_ZA
dc.subject Sperm macrocephaly syndrome (SMS) en_ZA
dc.subject Large heads en_ZA
dc.subject Multiple tails en_ZA
dc.subject Ultrastructure en_ZA
dc.subject Ostrich (Struthio camelus) en_ZA
dc.subject Computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) en_ZA
dc.title Sperm macrocephaly syndrome in the ostrich Struthio camelus : morphological characteristics and implications for motility en_ZA
dc.type Postprint Article en_ZA


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