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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions
Published on: January 18, 2017
Subunits of flagellar accessory tubules
J W Shay1, W J Dobson, E E Simmons
1Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, USA.
Abstract:
Many sperm flagella contain a central pair of singlet tubules surrounded by nine doublet tubules. Insect sperm flagella, however, usually contain in addition to the typical 9+2 arrangement of tubules, an additional row of nine singlet tubules which are called accessory tubules. Each of these accessory tubules in the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)) contains a single central prototubule surrounded by an array of 15 or 16 peripheral prototubules. The number of prototubules in the accessory tubules of Leptinotarsa decemlineata was determined with an electron microscope and image details were reinforced by the rotation techniques of Markham.
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