Figure 1 | Scientific Reports

Figure 1

From: Internalization of silver nanoparticles into mouse spermatozoa results in poor fertilization and compromised embryo development

Figure 1

SEM and TEM analysis of AgNPs-treated sperms.

SEM-EDS analysis: (a) AgNPs were detected in the AgNPs-treated group but not in the control. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis showed an Ag peak only in AgNPs-treated group (red arrow) and contained 0.03% Ag among all atomic masses. (b) A representative SEM figure of a control sperm cell. (c~e) AgNPs detection in AgNPs-treated sperm cells: AgNPs cluster covered the head and tails of sperm cells. (f and g) Identification of AgNPs in sperm cells using EDS. Arrows indicated the AgNPs peak. (h) TEM analysis of a control sperm cell. (i and j) AgNPs were bound to the plasma membrane (i) or internalized into the head (j) of sperm cells. Open circle of (j) was magnified in the lower panel of (j). (k) Control mitochondria. P, cell membrane (l and m) Detection of AgNPs in mitochondria. Arrows indicate AgNPs. Note, due to internalization or binding of AgNPs, sperm cell mitochondria and axoneme were severely disorganized and/or distorted. P, A, N, OAM and IAM indicated the plasma membrane, acrosome, nucleus, outer acrosome membrane and inner acrosome membrane, respectively.

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