Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancing Gene Silencing Research in Silkworms with dsRNA Delivery Through Feeding Chitosan Nanoparticles
05:36

Author Spotlight: Advancing Gene Silencing Research in Silkworms with dsRNA Delivery Through Feeding Chitosan Nanoparticles

Published on: October 4, 2024

2.6K

The spermatophore and its structural changes with time in the bursa copulatrix of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Minoru Osanai1, Hiroko Kasuga1, Toshiro Aigaki1

  • 1Department of Biology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashiku, 173 Tokyo, Japan.

Journal of Morphology
|June 23, 2018
PubMed

Insights

The silkmoth spermatophore acts as a reactor for sperm maturation, undergoing structural changes and metabolic reactions. These transformations are crucial for apyrene and eupyrene sperm development and motility.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Insect Physiology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The bursa copulatrix in silkmoths receives male reproductive secretions during mating.
  • These secretions form complex structures, including the spermatophore, which houses spermatozoa.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structural and biochemical changes within the silkmoth spermatophore during sperm maturation.
  • To identify the role of spermatophore components in supporting sperm development.

Main Methods:

  • Microscopic examination of spermatophore contents.
  • Histochemical staining (Periodic Acid-Schiff) to identify glycogen.
  • Enzymatic treatment (α-amylase) to confirm glycogen presence.

Main Results:

  • The spermatophore contains apyrene and eupyrene spermatozoa within its inner matrix.
  • Both inner and outer matrices are sites of sperm maturation, showing a decrease in basophilic regions and glycogen over time.
  • Spermatozoa gain motility towards the ductus seminalis as the spermatophore undergoes structural and metabolic changes.

Conclusions:

  • The silkmoth spermatophore functions as a dynamic reactor for sperm maturation.
  • Metabolic processes within the spermatophore, including glycogen utilization, are essential for sperm development and viability.

More Related Videos

Identification of Fatty Acids in Bacillus cereus08:41

Identification of Fatty Acids in Bacillus cereus

Published on: December 5, 2016

10.1K
Time-resolved ElectroSpray Ionization Hydrogen-deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry for Studying Protein Structure and Dynamics09:18

Time-resolved ElectroSpray Ionization Hydrogen-deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry for Studying Protein Structure and Dynamics

Published on: April 17, 2017

10.3K

Related Concept Videos

Structures of Solids02:22

Structures of Solids

Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...
18.0K
Structural Isomerism02:34

Structural Isomerism

Isomerism in Complexes
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can...
21.7K
Structure of Lipids03:38

Structure of Lipids

Lipids include a diverse group of compounds that are largely nonpolar in nature. This is because they are hydrocarbons that include mostly nonpolar carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds. Non-polar molecules are hydrophobic (“water fearing”), or insoluble in water. Lipids perform many different functions in a cell. Cells store energy for long-term use in the form of fats. Lipids also provide insulation from the environment for plants and animals. For example, they help keep aquatic...
99.1K
Viral Structure00:56

Viral Structure

Viruses are extraordinarily diverse in shape and size, but they all have several structural features in common. All viruses have a core that contains a DNA- or RNA-based genome. The core is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins called the capsid. The capsid is composed of subunits called capsomeres. The capsid and genome-containing core are together known as the nucleocapsid.
74.7K
Antibody Structure01:10

Antibody Structure

Overview
Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), are essential players of the adaptive immune system. These antigen-binding proteins are produced by B cells and make up 20 percent of the total blood plasma by weight. In mammals, antibodies fall into five different classes, which each elicits a different biological response upon antigen binding.
The Y-Shaped Structure of Antibodies Consists of Four Polypeptide Chains
Antibodies consist of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy...
65.7K
Protein and Protein Structure02:15

Protein and Protein Structure

Proteins are one of the most abundant organic molecules in living systems and have the most diverse range of functions of all macromolecules. Proteins may be structural, regulatory, contractile, or protective. They may serve in transport, storage, or membranes; or they may be toxins or enzymes. Their structures, like their functions, vary greatly. They are all, however, amino acid polymers arranged in a linear sequence.
A protein's shape is critical to its function. For example, an enzyme...
88.2K