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Optical Density Profiles in Feulgen-Stained Bovine Spermatozoan Nuclei

Department of Dairy Science, University of Illinois, Urbana

ABSTRACT

In a recent article on the cytophotometry of bovine spermatozoa by de la Torre and Salisbury (1), optical densities at various locations on five Feulgen-stained spermatozoa were presented in figure form. It was implied from these figures that the central areas of Feulgen-stained spermatozoan nuclei provided satisfactory locations for obtaining representative samples by the light beam core sampling technique of microspectrophotometry. There was evident a gradient of optical density decreasing from the base to the apex of the spermatozoan nuclei. This gradient has since been more accurately characterized on a larger number of spermatozoa.

Optical densities were measured through 1-µ-diameter cores taken at approximately .5-µ intervals (measured to the nearest .1-µ) along the longitudinal axis of 36 Feulgen-stained bovine spermatozoan nuclei. Other measurements were also made at right angles to the longitudinal axis at the midpoint of the nuclei. Instrumentation (1) and staining procedures (2) have been described previously.

Optical density was greatest near the base (junction of head and neck of the spermatozoon) of all the spermatozoan nuclei measured and decreased toward the apex.

¹ Present address: Veterinary School, Clinic for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ghent, Belgium.