title: Confocal microscopy of fertilization-induced calcium dynamics in sea urchin eggs.
abstract: Although confocal microscopy has typically been utilized in studies of fixed specimens, its potential for exploring dynamic processes in living cells is rapidly being realized. In this report, confocal laser scanning microscopy is used to analyze the calcium wave that occurs following fertilization in living sea urchin eggs microinjected with the calcium-sensitive fluorescent probes fluo-3 or calcium green. Time-lapse recordings of optical sections depicting calcium dynamics within the eggs are also subjected to volumetric reconstructions. Such analyses indicate that (1) cytoplasmic free calcium levels become elevated throughout the fertilized egg, (2) fertilization also causes the egg nucleus to undergo a transient increase in free calcium, and (3) normal cleavage can be obtained following time-lapse imaging of the calcium waves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stricker
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Centonze
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Paddock
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schatten
mesh_terms: D000814:Aniline Compounds; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007700:Kinetics; D008845:Microinjections; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000196:embryology; D014966:Xanthenes; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000814:Aniline Compounds; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014966:Xanthenes; C071336:calcium green; C059715:Fluo-3; D002118:Calcium