Cytoskeletal bridges between organelles in sperm flagellum of Triatoma infestans (hemiptera, reduviidae)

Abstract

Bridge-like connections between axoneme and mitochondrial derivatives of Triatoma infestans are identical to those of other Heteropterans where they have been identified as a typical characteristic of the spermatozoa of this group of insects. Whole-mount preparations revealed bridge localization in the grooves between mitochondrial cristae. Bridges occur regularly along the axoneme with a spacing of approximately 52 nm and are not in horizontal register on opposite sides of the axoneme. Shearing of flagellar organelles demonstrated strong attachment of bridges directly to the mitochondrial derivatives at one extremity, while at the other, bridges pull out connecting fibers from the axoneme (after sodium citrate treatment).