The dynamics of Drosophila melanogaster spermatogenesis in in vitro cultures

Abstract

A photographic description of meiosis and spermatogenesis in single sperm cysts of Drosophila melanogaster cultured in vitro is presented. In addition to the utility of this description for the study of spermatogenesis in whole live testes, the culture procedure provides a means for studying the dynamic development of individual sperm cysts from flies carrying male-sterile mutations, as illustrated with X/O males. Several deviations of spermatogenesis in vitro from that in vivo suggest that sperm morphogenesis is not rigidly coordinated.