Interaction of male and female germ cells of two mammalian species in culture.
When viewed by scanning electron microscopy, the heads of mouse spermatozoa are smaller than those of the hamster. The vitelline microvilli of hamster eggs are longer than those of the mouse egg. Both these factors may contribute to the enhanced interaction of mouse spermatozoa and hamster eggs. Treating unfertilized mouse eggs with Newcastle disease virus causes the viteline microvilli to elongate, thus improving the interaction between mouse eggs and hamster spermatozoa.
D000818:Animals; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009522:Newcastle disease virus; D010063:Ovum / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014817:Vitelline Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure