LOCALIZATION OF LAMINS IN MAMMALIAN SPERMATOZOA

Little information is available concerning lamins in the nucleus of ge rminal cells. In this paper we briefly describe and compare the organi zation of A- and B-type lamins in several mammalian spermatozoa. Nucle ar lamin B is localized primarily in the postacrosomal sheath of human , bull and rabbit spermatozoa; lamin A/C is a major component of the e quatorial segment in most of mammalian sperm, with the exception of ro dents. In mouse sperm, devoid of equatorial segment, only lamin B appe ars to be expressed. The same happens in human pathological spermatozo a in which the equatorial segment is altered or absent.