Silver staining of the postacrosomal sheath during human spermiogenesis

Abstract

Applying the silver staining technique, it could be shown that in the early phase of spermiogenesis a layer of argyrophilic material accumulated at the base of the acrosomal vesicle and at the outer side of the nuclear envelope opposite that region, and, later, at the inner side of the plasma membrane near the base of the acrosomal vesicle. During further development of the postacrosomal region of the spermatozoon head, the argyrophilic material associated with the plasmalemma grew caudally to form the postacrosomal dense lamina, while the argyrophilic material associated with the nuclear envelope, staying the same size, shifted to the caudal end of the postacrosomal dense lamina to form the post-nuclear band.