Fig. 4: Three-dimensional FIB-SEM projection images of virgin and mated distal seminal receptacle. | Communications Biology

Fig. 4: Three-dimensional FIB-SEM projection images of virgin and mated distal seminal receptacle.

From: Three-dimensional correlative microscopy of the Drosophila female reproductive tract reveals modes of communication in seminal receptacle sperm storage

Fig. 4: Three-dimensional FIB-SEM projection images of virgin and mated distal seminal receptacle.

FIB-SEM 3D projections through the middle tubule of virgin (a) and mated (b) distal seminal receptacles showing the epithelial cells lining the lumen (L). The apical surface is covered by short microvilli (mv; 100 nm) and lined by an intima. Vesicles (v) are also observed throughout the cytoplasm. Circular muscles (M) surround the basal lamina (BL). Nucleus (n), small vesicles (v, marked by white arrows), fibers comprising the intima layer (f), septate junction (sj), sperm (S); scale bar = 1 µm. 3D projected images clearly show the fiber layer at the epithelium-lumen interface in virgin (c) and mated (d) distal seminal receptacle. Note the orientation of sperm inside the lumen (d, white arrow heads, f) and vesicles marked by white asterisk (c, d). A segmented 3D model of virgin (e) and mated (f) distal seminal receptacle showing: sperm in the lumen (f, dark yellow), corrugated intima facing the lumen (blue) and a fiber layer (green) facing the microvilli, vesicles (purple, pink), septate junction (pale pink), muscle (brownish in e and yellow in f). The dimensions of the SEM acquired datasets in virgin (a) and mated (b) samples are shown in Table 1. See also Supplementary Video 4 and 5.

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