title: Phagocytosis of yeast by human oocytes: fine structural observations.
abstract: Fine-structure observations have been made on the interaction between invasive yeast cells and human oocytes. The yeast appear to make their way through the zona pellucida and once in the perivitelline space are incorporated into phagocytic vacuoles by surface activity of the oocyte. The yeast attach to the vitelline membrane via fuzzy surface material on the cell wall, and incorporation appears to be aided by oocyte microvillar activity. Coated pits in the oocyte plasma membrane are incorporated into the phagosomes, but no lysosomal activity is seen, and neither oocytes nor yeast cells appear to undergo degeneration in the time frame investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Koehler
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ravnik
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010587:Phagocytosis; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae