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Inheritance of Midpiece Length in Mouse Spermatozoa

Nature volume 215, pages 94–95 (1967)Cite this article

Abstract

INBRED strains of mice are known to differ in such aspects of spermatozoan morphology as the size and shape of the head and midpiece1–3. When inbred4 or outbred5 strains are crossed, clear patterns of inheritance of spermatozoan characteristics emerge. The first heritability estimates for characteristics of mammalian gametes were obtained by Napier6 from son–sire regressions in the rabbit: for example, h2 = 0.72 ± 0.18 for length of the spermatozoan head, and estimates of similar magnitude for its width and projected area. These investigations show in general7 that genetic effects on the spermatozoan phenotype are paramount and environmental effects seem relatively unimportant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Genetics and ARC Unit of Animal Genetics, Institute of Animal Genetics, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, 9

    D. M. WOOLLEY & R. A. BEATTY

Authors
  1. D. M. WOOLLEY
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  2. R. A. BEATTY
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WOOLLEY, D., BEATTY, R. Inheritance of Midpiece Length in Mouse Spermatozoa. Nature 215, 94–95 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/215094a0

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