| Definition: |
A small amount of cytoplasm surrounded by a cell membrane that is generally retained in spermatozoa after spermiogenesis, when the majority of the cytoplasm is phagocytosed by Sertoli cells to produce what are called residual bodies. Initially, the droplet is located at the neck just behind the head of an elongated spermatid. During epididymal transit, the cytoplasmic droplet migrates caudally to the annulus at the end of the midpiece; the exact position and time varies by species. The cytoplasmic droplet consists of lipids, lipoproteins, RNAs, a variety of hydrolytic enzymes, receptors, ion channels, and Golgi-derived vesicles. The droplet may be involved in regulatory volume loss (RVD) at ejaculation, and in most species, though not in humans, the cytoplasmic droplet is lost at ejaculation. Note that the cytoplasmic droplet is distinct from 'excessive residual cytoplasm' that sometimes remains in epididymal spermatozoa, particularly when spermiogenesis has been disrupted. |