Fertilization of zona-drilled mouse oocytes treated with a monoclonal antibody to the zona glycoprotein, ZP3.
Opening a small aperture in the zona pellucida of mouse oocytes by using micromanipulation and a stream of acidified Tyrode's solution (zona drilling) improved the efficiency of in vitro fertilization at low sperm concentrations without adversely affecting development to the blastocyst stage. Zona drilling also permitted in vitro fertilization and development when sperm penetration through the zona was blocked by a monoclonal antibody to the protein core of the zona glycoprotein, ZP3. These results provide a direct demonstration that sperm entry occurs through the aperture and also suggest that zona drilling of human oocytes may offer a therapeutic approach when autoantibodies to the zona pellucida are suspected as a cause of infertility.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D004527:Egg Proteins; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008846:Micromanipulation; D009865:Oocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010063:Ovum / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004527:Egg Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C000606517:ZP3 protein, human; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins; C000606521:Zp3 protein, mouse