title: Time course and pattern of cortical granule breakdown in hamster eggs after sperm fusion.
abstract: We have determined the temporal relationship between sperm fusion and cortical granule breakdown in the hamster egg. Sperm fusion was determined by the Hoechst-transfer method (Stewart-Savage and Bavister: Dev Biol 128:150-157, 1988), and cortical granules were visualized with fluorescein isothiocynate-conjugated Lens culinaris agglutinin (Cherr et al. J Exp Zool 246:81-93, 1988). By 55 min after insemination, there was an 85% reduction in the density of cortical granules (fewer than four granules/100 microns2). Taking this value as the completion of the cortical reaction, analysis of the data indicate that the cortical reaction was completed 9 min after sperm fusion and 3 min after the formation of the zona and cell surface blocks to polyspermy. There was no obvious spatial pattern of granule loss in eggs that had a Hoechst-positive sperm but had not completed the cortical reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, Louisiana 70148.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stewart-Savage
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Bavister
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000378:metabolism*; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology