Aberrant distribution of the peri-axonemal structures in the human spermatozoon: possible role of the axoneme in the spatial organization of the flagellar components

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Abstract
A quantitative ultrastructural study combined with stereology was performed on semen samples from 4 men selected for apparently isolated anomalies of the peri-axonemal structures. Comparison of the results with those of a control group revealed a decrease: in the mean length of the principal piece; in the mean length of the 9 dense fibers and in the difference in length between the 9 dense fibers, all the fibers being approximately as long as the medium length fibers of the normal spermatozoon. In addition, longitudinal columns were single and/or in abnormal position. The extent of the dense fibers (along 60% of the principal piece) and their proportion within the flagellum (35.1% of the principal piece per fiber on average) were normal. A-tubules of the axonemal doublets apparently are involved in the spatial arrangement of the peri-axonemal structures; axonemal microtubule-associated proteins (MAP) may be responsible for this structural function; and 3 different types of longitudinal doublet differentiations may exist along the flagellar axoneme.