The points which we have brought out in this paper are:

  1. The development of the acrosome from the Golgi apparatus, which has been figured for the first time during growth, and the stages of acrosome formation in the human.

  2. The almost complete break-up of the Golgi apparatus at dictyokinesis, and the late reassembly of the fragments apparently independently of the spermatid centrioles.

  3. The very probable presence of a neck granule apparatus as distinct from the head or proximal centriole (c1).

  4. The claim that the head centriole does not divide. The emergence of the flagellum from the proximal and distal centrioles jointly.

  5. The development of the post-nuclear cap in human spermatids.

  6. The apparent absence of any form of spiral body in the middle-piece.

  7. The different types of Golgi apparatus in the Sertoli and spermatogenic cells.

  8. The presence of a vacuole in the head of the spermatozoon.

  9. The remarkable ‘nutrient syncytium’ connected with the Sertoli cells.

  10. The accessory body in the cytoplasm.

1

These granules have recently been studied by J. A. Muliyil, who finds that they stain best in Nile Blue (deep blue colour), come and go according to whether the animal is fed or starved, and exactly resemble the first formed yolk in young oocytes. From Muliyil’s work it seems that the Y-granules are abortive yolk, and chiefly fatty acid. They can be seen in the living germ cells of many animals.

1

Gatenby, Jour. Morph, and Physiol, v. 51, No. 2. June 5, 1931. See also (12)

1

In Locusta, the Gentian Violet chromosome technique stains the neck granule intensely violet. Such preparations have been shown to us by Mr. M. J. D. White of University College, London, and are at present being, worked out.

1

See footnote, p. 9.

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