Flow microfluorometric analysis of sperm DNA content: effect of cell shape on the fluorescence distribution

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · J. Cell. Physiol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.1040870312· OSTI ID:7195155

Gledhill, B L; Lake, S; Steinmetz, L L; Gray, J W; Crawford, J R; Dean, P N; van Dilla, M A

The DNA content of individual sperm from populations of acriflavine-stained cells was investigated by analysis of fluorescence frequency distributions obtained with high-resolution flow-systems instruments. Sperm with spherical or cylindrical heads from three mollusk species produce narrow, symmetric fluorescence distributions. Flat sperm heads from six eutherian species produce asymmetric distributions consisting of a peak with a lateral extension to higher fluorescence values. The unexpected shape of these distributions was shown to be due to the flat geometry and high refractive index of the sperm heads in conjunction with the orthogonal axes of flow, excitation, and detection in the flow-systems instruments. The theoretical and experimental results indicate that the lateral extension can be eliminated either by controlling the sperm orientation with planar flow conditions or by accounting for sperm orientation by means of orientation sensing. (auth)

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Livermore
• OSTI ID: 7195155
• Journal Information: J. Cell. Physiol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Cell. Physiol.; (United States) Vol. 87:3; ISSN JCLLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DNA
FLUORESCENCE
GAMETES
GERM CELLS
LUMINESCENCE
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SPERMATOZOA