ACROSOME DIFFERENTIATION IN THE SPERMATOGENESIS OF CIONA INTESTINALIS*

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Abstract
The process of acrosome formation in the course of spermatogenesis of C. intestinalis was investigated. At the flute-beak-shaped tip of the head of the mature spermatozoon a small acrosomal vesicle(s) is described. The vesicles migrate to a region where the outer and inner nuclear membranes fuse, thus giving rise to a dense plate. At the same time the chromatin begins to organize into longitudinally oriented strands which become attached to the inner side of the dense plate. The possible relationships between the dense plate, the formation of the acrosome and the orientation of the chromatin are discussed.