Chapter 3 Separation of Mammalian Spermatids

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the separation of mammalian spermatids. Mammalian spermatids are among the smallest testis cells. Non-round spermatids undergo an important decrease in cell size as they mature. The methods for the separation of mammalian spermatids include separation according to cell size and separation according to buoyant density. Spermatid separation on the basis of sedimentation velocities provides populations enriched in specific spermatid stages that are useful for biochemical studies. By this method, a single class of spermatids—that is, the round spermatids are obtained. Separation on the basis of buoyant density, of the spermatids already separated according to cell size, allows the purity of the round spermatid and old spermatid populations to be improved, and cytoplasmic contaminants in the latter to be removed. At the same time, populations of the various intermediate spermatids can be obtained, with a significantly improved homogeneity. If nuclei are of primary interest, high resolution can be achieved with isopycnic centrifugation of isolated nuclei.