Ultrastructure of goat testes: intercellular bridge between germ cells.

The fine structure of intercellular bridge (ICB) of goat germ cells was studied using testicular samples fixed by perfusion. In the seminiferous tubules, the ICBs were observed between sister cells of spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids. As a result of incomplete division of germ cells, the ICB first appeared as a midbody containing a remnant of the bundle of microtubules (spindle fibers). These microtubules then disappeared and were replaced by a shutter apparatus which was composed of multiple lamellar cisternae (bridge-partitioning complex). The inner part of the ICB was reinforced with a layer of electron dense mass (bridge density) which persisted up to the residual cytoplasm of spermiation. After complete reconstruction of the sister cells, the cisternae of the bridge-partitioning complex disappeared and the channel of the ICB was opened. Evidently (see electron micrographs), almost all of the cytoplasmic organelles could pass through the channel of the ICB. In the longitudinal section, the appearance of the ICBs between sister spermatogonia and between sister spermatocytes was observed as a double linear or drum shape, and that between sister spermatids was noticed as a horseshoe-like or concave formation. With the process of spermatogenesis, the ICBs gradually became widened and shortened. The functional significance of the ICB in the goat was discussed.