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Analysis of Morphogenesis and Flagellar Assembly During Spermatogenesis in Planarian Flatworms. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2364:199-216. [PMID: 34542855 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1661-1_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is one of the most dramatic cellular differentiation events observed in animals. In particular, spermiogenesis (the final stage of spermatogenesis) involves extensive shedding of cytoplasmic organelles, dramatic nuclear rearrangements, and assembly of long flagellar structures. In planarian flatworms, the spherical nucleus present in round spermatids elongates to produce the filamentous nucleus of mature sperm. Newly formed cortical microtubules participate in cytoskeletal rearrangements observed during spermiogenesis and remain present in sperm. In addition, a pair of flagella assemble at one end of each spermatid in a process that likely involves de novo formation of centrioles. This chapter includes a brief introduction to planarian spermatogenesis and current tools for the analysis of molecular players in this process. Step-by-step protocols for isolating and imaging spermatogenic cells are provided with enough detail to be carried out by newcomers to the field who would like to study this unique organism in the laboratory.
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Christman DA, Curry HN, Rouhana L. Heterotrimeric Kinesin II is required for flagellar assembly and elongation of nuclear morphology during spermiogenesis in Schmidtea mediterranea. Dev Biol 2021; 477:191-204. [PMID: 34090925 PMCID: PMC8277772 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Development of sperm requires microtubule-based movements that drive assembly of a compact head and flagellated tails. Much is known about how flagella are built given their shared molecular core with motile cilia, but less is known about the mechanisms that shape the sperm head. The Kinesin Superfamily Protein 3A (KIF3A) pairs off with a second motor protein (KIF3B) and the Kinesin Associated Protein 3 (KAP3) to form Heterotrimeric Kinesin II. This complex drives intraflagellar transport (IFT) along microtubules during ciliary assembly. We show that KIF3A and KAP3 orthologs in Schmidtea mediterranea are required for axonemal assembly and nuclear elongation during spermiogenesis. Expression of Smed-KAP3 is enriched during planarian spermatogenesis with transcript abundance peaking in spermatocyte and spermatid cells. Disruption of Smed-kif3A or Smed-KAP3 expression by RNA-interference results in loss of spermatozoa and accumulation of unelongated spermatids. Confocal microscopy of planarian testis lobes stained with alpha-tubulin antibodies revealed that spermatids with disrupted Kinesin II function fail to assemble flagella, and visualization with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) revealed reduced nuclear elongation. Disruption of Smed-kif3A or Smed-KAP3 expression also resulted in edema, reduced locomotion, and loss of epidermal cilia, which corroborates with somatic phenotypes previously reported for Smed-kif3B. These findings demonstrate that heterotrimeric Kinesin II drives assembly of cilia and flagella, as well as rearrangements of nuclear morphology in developing sperm. Prolonged activity of heterotrimeric Kinesin II in manchette-like structures with extended presence during spermiogenesis is hypothesized to result in the exaggerated nuclear elongation observed in sperm of turbellarians and other lophotrochozoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donovan A Christman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH, 45435-0001, USA
| | - Haley N Curry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH, 45435-0001, USA
| | - Labib Rouhana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH, 45435-0001, USA.
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Ponce de León R, Volonterio O. Ultrastructural description of the spermatogenesis and spermatozoa in Phaenocora unipunctata (Platyhelminthes, Neotyphloplanida). J Morphol 2018; 279:648-659. [PMID: 29436730 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Ultrastructural studies of spermiogenesis and sperm morphology have found many characters that are likely to provide clues to the phylogeny of the Platyhelminthes. However, the lack of information on many free-living groups has been a limiting factor. There is a single description of the spermatogenesis and spermatozoa in a Phaenocora species, namely P. anomalocoela, therefore a similar analysis was made in Phaenocora unipunctata to compare the intrageneric variation of sperm ultrastructure and spermatogenesis in the Neotyphloplanida. The comparison of the two Phaenocora species shows that several characters have the potential to be relevant to hypothesize phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels. The presence of superficially incorporated axonemes outside the ring of cortical microtubules in the mature sperm cell, resulting from the fusion of the axonemes with the median cytoplasmic process during spermiogenesis, as well as the presence of a constant number of microtubules in the different regions of the spermatozoon, seem to constitute apomorphies of the genus Phaenocora. Furthermore, the presence of an axonemal spur, the compression of cortical microtubules by the rotation of the basal bodies during spermiogenesis, and the presence of a connection between the nucleus and the plasma membrane in the mature spermatozoon, support previous proposals that these characters are apomorphies of Dalytyphloplanida. The comparison of spermatogenesis and spermatozoa of P. unipunctata and P. anomalocoela demonstrates that studying intrageneric variation can give valuable insights into the significance of many characters proposed for phylogenetic studies of the Rhabdocoela.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Ponce de León
- Sección Zoología de Invertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, 11400, Uruguay
| | - Odile Volonterio
- Sección Zoología de Invertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, 11400, Uruguay
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Gammoudi M, Salvenmoser W, Harrath AH, Tekaya S, Egger B. Ultrastructure of spermatogenesis and mature spermatozoa in the flatworm
Prosthiostomum siphunculus
(Polycladida, Cotylea). Cell Biol Int 2015; 40:277-88. [DOI: 10.1002/cbin.10562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mehrez Gammoudi
- Université de Tunis El‐ManarFaculté des Sciences de TunisUR11ES12 Biologie de la Reproduction et du Développement AnimalTunis2092Tunisie
| | - Willi Salvenmoser
- Research Unit Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Institute of ZoologyUniversity of InnsbruckTechnikerstr. 25Innsbruck6020Austria
| | - Abdel Halim Harrath
- Department of Zoology, College of ScienceKing Saud UniversityP.O. Box 2455RiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Saïda Tekaya
- Université de Tunis El‐ManarFaculté des Sciences de TunisUR11ES12 Biologie de la Reproduction et du Développement AnimalTunis2092Tunisie
| | - Bernhard Egger
- Research Unit Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Institute of ZoologyUniversity of InnsbruckTechnikerstr. 25Innsbruck6020Austria
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Harrath AH, Gammoudi M, Mansour L, Ahmed M, Sirotkin AV, Al Omar SY, Ibrahim KE, Alwasel SH. Investigation of the ultrastructure of Dendrocoelum constrictum (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida) spermatogenesis and mature spermatozoa. C R Biol 2014; 337:513-20. [PMID: 25242690 DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2014.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Revised: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
To add to our understanding of dendrocoelid spermatozoa and to describe additional phylogenetic characters, the ultrastructure of the testis was investigated in the subterranean freshwater planarian Dendrocoelum constrictum. This is the first study investigating spermatogenesis and spermatozoon ultrastructure in a subterranean freshwater planarian species. We found that the basic structure of spermatozoa in D. constrictum is similar to that of other Tricladida that have been studied previously. In fact, D. constrictum spermatozoa possess an elongated nucleus, one giant mitochondrion, and two subterminal flagella with a 9+'1' pattern. The flagella emerge together from one side of the spermatozoon. However, D. constrictum has some characteristics that have not yet been described for other freshwater planarians. In fact, the number of cortical microtubules reaches the maximum number in the anterior and middle part of region I, and then decrease until they disappear towards the posterior extremity of the spermatozoon. The extreme tip of the anterior region of the spermatozoon exhibits a specific external ornamentation of the plasma membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdel Halim Harrath
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mehrez Gammoudi
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Science of Tunis, UR11ES12 Animal Reproduction and Developmental Biology, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Lamjed Mansour
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mukhtar Ahmed
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alexander V Sirotkin
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Animal Production Research Center Nitra, Luzianky, Slovakia; Constantine the Philosopher University, Nitra, Slovakia
| | - Suliman Y Al Omar
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid E Ibrahim
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh H Alwasel
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Harrath AH, Semlali A, Mansour L, Ahmed M, Sirotkin AV, Al Omar SY, Arfah M, Al Anazi MS, Alhazza IM, Nyengaard JR, Alwasel S. Infertility in the hyperplasic ovary of freshwater planarians: the role of programmed cell death. Cell Tissue Res 2014; 358:607-20. [PMID: 25107610 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-014-1971-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ex-fissiparous planarians produce infertile cocoons or, in very rare cases, cocoons with very low fertility. Here, we describe the features of programmed cell death (PCD) occurring in the hyperplasic ovary of the ex-fissiparous freshwater planarian Dugesia arabica that may explain this infertility. Based on TEM results, we demonstrate a novel extensive co-clustering of cytoplasmic organelles, such as lysosomes and microtubules, and their fusion with autophagosomes during the early stage of oocyte cell death occurring through an autophagic pattern. During a later stage of cell death, the generation of apoptotic vesicles in the cytoplasm can be observed. The immunohistochemical labeling supports the ultrastructural results because it has been shown that the proapoptotic protein bax was more highly expressed in the hyperplasic ovary than in the normal one, whereas the anti-apoptotic protein bcl2 was slightly more highly expressed in the normal ovary compared to the hyperplasic one. TUNEL analysis of the hyperplasic ovary confirmed that the nuclei of the majority of differentiating oocytes were TUNEL-positive, whereas the nuclei of oogonia and young oocytes were TUNEL-negative; in the normal ovary, oocytes are TUNEL-negative. Considering all of these data, we suggest that the cell death mechanism of differentiating oocytes in the hyperplasic ovary of freshwater planarians is one of the most important factors that cause ex-fissiparous planarian infertility. We propose that autophagy precedes apoptosis during oogenesis, whereas apoptotic features can be observed later.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdel Halim Harrath
- Zoology Department College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia,
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Falleni A, Lucchesi P, Ghezzani C, Brogger MI. Ultrastructural and cytochemical aspects of the germarium and the vitellarium inSyndesmis patagonica(Platyhelminthes, Rhabdocoela, Umagillidae). J Morphol 2014; 275:703-19. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2013] [Revised: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Falleni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Experimental Biology and Genetics; University of Pisa; Via A. Volta 4 Pisa 56125 Italy
| | - Paolo Lucchesi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Experimental Biology and Genetics; University of Pisa; Via A. Volta 4 Pisa 56125 Italy
| | - Claudio Ghezzani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Experimental Biology and Genetics; University of Pisa; Via A. Volta 4 Pisa 56125 Italy
| | - Martín I. Brogger
- CONICET, Lab. de Ecosistemas Costeros, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” Av; Ángel Gallardo 470 C1405DJR Buenos Aires Argentina
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