Since the volume gives a better comparison of size than thickness, the volume of the zona pellucida was also calcldated by substraction of the volume of the inner zonal cavity from the volume of the total egg and compared with the zona pellucida thickness. All calculations were made by computor (CEIR timesharing computor). The zona pellucida of the tubal ova is thicker than that of the oocyte, with the zona pellucida of the fertilized egg being definite1y thinner when compared with unfertilized eggs. This phenomenon of decreased thickness in the fertilized egg may be associated with the zona reaction. The entry of the first sperm into the egg initiates a reaction in the zona pellucida the effect of which is to predude the entry of additional sperm-Braden, Austin and David (1954) defined this phenomenon as the zona reaction. The results of anatomical changes in the zona pe1lucida may also be a phenomenon such as a "zona reaction".
Animal ; Female ; Fertilization* ; Mice ; Ovulation* ; Ovum/cytology* ; Ovum/growth & development

The reproductive system and gonad development and germ cell occurrence of Whitmania pigra have been studied by using tissue section electron microscope techniques. W. pigra has completely independent male and female reproduction system, which lasts 11 months. The development of spermary started before the development of ovary. When egg cell is only a primordial germ cell, sperm has an initially complete form. Meanwhile, sperm cells and egg cells orderly development and synchronously mature. According to the development of sperm cells and egg cells, the development of cycle of the spermary could be divided into 6 stages: proliferating stage (1-3 months of age), growing stage (4-5 months of age), resting stage (6-8 months of age), maturing stage (9 months of age), spawning stage (10 months of age) and degradation stage (11 months of age). The development of cycle of the ovary could be divided into 6 stages: forming stage (1-2 months of age), proliferating stage (3-4 months of age), growing stage (5-8 months of age), maturing stage (9 months of age), spawning stage (10 months of age) and resting stage (11 months of age). W. pigra is a synchronous hermaphrodite animal, the development of cycle of the spermary and ovary each has six stages, sperm cells and egg cells orderly development and synchronously mature.
Animals ; Female ; Gonads ; cytology ; Leeches ; growth & development ; Male ; Ovary ; cytology ; Ovum ; cytology ; Reproduction ; Spermatocytes ; cytology

This experiment was undertaken in order to know the effect of leucocytes on the maturation of mouse oocytes in vitro. Leucocytes obtained from heart puncture of mouse (3 X 10(4) cells/mm3) inhibited the maturation of mouse oocytes. The egg toxic activity declined with decreasing leucocyte concentration. It was found that egg toxic effect of leucocytes is not species specific. The activity of intact leucocytes or equal numbers of leucocytes that were destroyed was similar and which seems not to be influenced by the physiological stats of leucocytes.
Animal ; Culture Media ; Female ; Leukocytes* ; Metaphase ; Mice ; Oocytes/cytology* ; Ovum/cytology*

The mouse eggs in the various stages, of the development prior to implantation were collected and measurements were made on both the largest and smallest diameters of the vitellus, inner and outer surface of the zona pellucida. The various stages of development used were ovarian oocytes (germinal vesiA®e stage), ovulated but unfertilized egg, ovulated and fertilized egg, the 2-cell embryo on the second day of pregnancy, 4-8-cell embryo on the third day of pregnancy and morulablastocyst on the fourth day of pregnancy, A further comparative study on unfertilized and fertilized tubal eggs was made, The time of l2 hours after H.C.G. injection was chosen as the starting point from which to follow the collection of eggs every 3 hours for 24 hours. Since the volume gives a better comparison of size than diameter, the volume of the total eggs, intrazonal cavity, perivitelline space and the various were calculated for the various preimplantation stages of mouse egg. The volume of zona pellucida was also calsulated by subtraction of the volume of the inner zonal cavity from the volume of total egg and compared with the zona pellucida thickness. All calculations were made by computor(CEIR Time-sharing Computor). The diameter and volume of the vitellus in the ovarian oocyte is the largest one of any stage during the preimplantation stages of development, while the total volume of the entire egg as determined from the diameter of outer surface of the zona pellucida of the ovarian cocyte is the smallest one of any stage during development. The diameter and total volume of the entire egg increases from the ovarian oocytes to the first day of pregnancy and then gradually decreases until the third day of pregnancy. An increase in these parameters again takes place on the fourth day of pregnancy. The zona pellucida of the tubal ova is thicker than that of the oocyte, with the zona pellucida of the fertilized egg being definitely thinner when compared with unfertilized eggs. This phenomenon of decreased thickness in fertilized egg may be associated with zona reaction. The perivitelline space between the vitellus and zona pellucida thus formed following ovulation occupied approximately 40 percent of the total volume enclosed by the inner surface of the zona pellucida (intrazonal cavity) in the 1-cell tubal ova. Neither the cause of the rapid accumulation of fluid after ovulation which resulted in the production of the perivitelline space nor the actual time of the formation of the perivitelline space are known. Some possible reasons for the formation or origin of the perivitelline space are discussed. The size and shape of the vitellus undergo compartive reduction during preimplantation stages of development. The possible reason for the reduction of vitelline volume are discussed.
Animal ; Blastocyst ; Embryo/cytology* ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryo and Fetal Development ; Female ; Fertilization ; Mice ; Ovulation ; Ovum/cytology ; Ovum/growth & development ; Temperature ; Time Factors

Mouse follicular oocytes, denuded and intact, were cultured in pyruvate salt sol and glutamine salt sol supplemented bovine serum albumin to compare the maturation rate. Glutamine has no effect on maturation of the denuded mouse oocyte but has an effect on maturation of the intact oocyte by increasing the maturation rate, depending on the increased concentration of glutamine (0.4 mM to 2 mM). Changes in osmolarity of the operation medium from 280 mOsm to 310 mOsm has no discernible effect on the oocyte maturation. A high frequency of abnormal 1st polar bodies was observed in pyruvate salt sol. and this may be due to the increased energy source in the cytoplasm of the 1st polar body when the po1ar body was extruded into the perivitelline space after the 1st meiosis.
Animal ; Cell Division ; Female ; Glutamine/metabolism ; In Vitro ; Mice ; Oocytes/cytology ; Oocytes/metabolism* ; Ovum/metabolism* ; Pyruvates/metabolism

Mouse follicular oocytes, denuded and intact, were cultured in pyruvate salt sol and glutamine salt sol supplemented bovine serum albumin to compare the maturation rate. Glutamine has no effect on maturation of the denuded mouse oocyte but has an effect on maturation of the intact oocyte by increasing the maturation rate, depending on the increased concentration of glutamine (0.4 mM to 2 mM). Changes in osmolarity of the operation medium from 280 mOsm to 310 mOsm has no discernible effect on the oocyte maturation. A high frequency of abnormal 1st polar bodies was observed in pyruvate salt sol. and this may be due to the increased energy source in the cytoplasm of the 1st polar body when the po1ar body was extruded into the perivitelline space after the 1st meiosis.
Animal ; Cell Division ; Female ; Glutamine/metabolism ; In Vitro ; Mice ; Oocytes/cytology ; Oocytes/metabolism* ; Ovum/metabolism* ; Pyruvates/metabolism

OBJECTIVETo examined the immediate and 24 hours post- irradiation germicidal effects of UV-C lamp on eggs and adults of house dust mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus) and Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae).

METHODSThis study investigated the immediate and 24 hours post irradiation mortalities of adult mites exposed to UV-C at different exposure times (5 mins, 10 mins, 15 mins, 20 mins, 30 mins and 60 mins) and distances (10 cm, 25 cm, 35 cm, 45 cm and 55 cm). Fresh eggs of the 2 dust mites were also irradiated at 10, 35 and 55 cm for 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 5 minutes, and observed daily post- irradiation for up to 7 days.

RESULTSHighest immediate mortality of 100% occurred with direct irradiation at 10 cm distance from UV-C lamp and for 60 mins, for both species of mites. The post 24 hours mean mortality rates were (58.4±17.4)% for D. pteronyssinus and (27.7±9.7)% for D. farinae when irradiated for 1 hour at 55 cm distance under UV-C lamp. When mites were irradiated in the presence of culture media, the highest mortality rates were lower compared to the direct irradiation; at 10 cm distance and 60 mins exposure, the mean mortality was (74.0±6.8)% for D. pteronyssinus and (70.3±6.7)% for D. farinae. Egg hatchability for both species of mites was also notably reduced by greater than 50% following irradiation.

CONCLUSIONSUltraviolet C irradiation is lethal to an array of organisms by damaging their nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). This study demonstrates the increasing mite mortalities with increasing exposure times and decreasing distances.

Animals ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; radiation effects ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; radiation effects ; Female ; Male ; Ovum ; cytology ; pathology ; radiation effects ; Time Factors ; Ultraviolet Rays

This experiment was undertaken in order to find out if there is any morphological change in oocytes and two-cell embryos whose development have been suppressed by progesterone for six hours in vitro. It can be observed that some part of the outer side of nuclear membrane of the suppressed oocytes was damaged. The number of nuclear pores has decreased in suppressed oocytes and this suggests that progesterone might suppress the transport of intermediary metabolites between cytoplasm and nucleus. Sometimes, closely packed aggregates of parallel or irregular endoplasmic reticula were observed in suppressed oocytes. Microvilli of suppresed oocytes showed signs of degradation and the perivitelline space became apparent. Thus it is presumed that the egg membrane has constricted during cultivation under progesterone in vitro. The other cell organelles such as mitochondria, multivesicular bodies, cortical granules and fibrillar lattices showed no difference in morphology between treated and control (intact) oocytes. In two-cell embryos, there was also no evident morphological change except for the fact that many vacuoles appeared clearly in suppressed embryonal cells. In brief, there was no fundamental morphological change in the oocytes and the embryonal cells exposed to progesterone for six hours even though it inhibits their development. The action of progesterone should be investigated thoroughly.
Animal ; Embryo/cytology* ; Embryo/drug effects ; Female ; In Vitro ; Mice ; Oocytes/drug effects ; Oocytes/ultrastructure* ; Ovum/ultrastructure* ; Progesterone/pharmacology*

To study the effects of mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) on the in vitro maturation, fertilization, cleavage and blastula formation of mouse oocytes, the immature oocytes were infected in vitro by MCMVs of different dosages (100 TCID(50), 10 TCID(50) and 1 TCID(50)). The oocytes were then observed for in vitro maturation, fertilization, cleavage and blastula formation and the ultrastructural changes after the culture with the viruses. Our results showed that no significant differences were found in IVM, IVF, cleavage and blastula formation among the groups treated with of virus of various dosages. And ultrastructural abnormality was observed in the oocytes treated by 100 TCID(50) of viruses. It is concluded that MCMV did not have any conspicuous effects on IVM, IVF, cleavage and blastula formation of murine immature oocytes.
Blastocyst ; Cells, Cultured ; Cleavage Stage, Ovum ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; Fertilization ; Muromegalovirus/*pathogenicity ; Oocytes/cytology ; Oocytes/growth & development ; Oocytes/*virology

Fertilization is a complex process involving multiple steps, of which sperm-egg fusion is most important. This article presents a detailed review of some of the key sperm membrane proteins closely related with fertilization, such as the Izumo, the ADAMs gene family and the Crisp gene family proteins, which is of practical significance for deeper insights into the mechanisms of sperm-egg fusion, as well as for the improvement of clinical diagnosis of male infertility and development of novel contraceptive drugs.
Animals ; Cell Fusion ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Seminal Plasma Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sperm-Ovum Interactions ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; metabolism