Figure 7

Abnormal acrosome and spermatid development in adolescent Ehd1^-/- male mice. Day 30 testes were Bouin's-fixed, PAS-stained and hematoxylin-counter-stained to visualize the glycoproteins/acrosomes (pink) and nuclei (blue) and analyzed by light microscopy using a 40× objective lens (A-E) or 60× objective lens under oil immersion (F-H). Stages are labeled with Roman numerals. (A) WT (+/+) stage XII seminiferous tubules with step 12 elongated spermatids and spermatocytes in meiosis I and II. (B) WT stage IX seminiferous tubules with step 9 spermatids. (C) Ehd1^-/- (-/-) stage XII seminiferous tubules display abnormal meiotic figures (Me). Stage X shows a mixture of spermatid steps with abnormal orientation, shape and chromatin condensation (arrows). (D) An Ehd1^-/- seminiferous tubule exhibiting a Sertoli cell only (SCO) phenotype and a (E) stage IX-XI seminiferous tubule containing step 9, 10 and 11 elongated spermatids (arrows). (F) Stage VII WT round spermatids with PAS-positive acrosomal caps on developing step 7 round spermatids (arrows). (G-H) Ehd1^-/- step 7 round spermatids display abnormal acrosomal caps (arrows), while others show abnormal displacement of the acrosomal granule, asymmetric formations and punctuate appearances. Scale bar in A = 50 μm for A-E. Scale bar in F = 10 μm for F-H.