Freezing of zona-free mouse embryos: characteristics of the plasma membrane and subsequent development of the embryos.
Frozen-thawed mouse embryos with (+ZP) and without (-ZP) zona pellucida have been studied at the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to determine how the process affects the plasma membrane and the subsequent embryo development. The main difference observed in -ZP embryos immediately after thawing is the abnormal morphology and distribution of microvilli. This could explain the spontaneous separation of blastomeres in -ZP embryos, and the decrease in their survival rate. If thawed -ZP embryos are allowed to recover in culture, their plasma membrane characteristics and survival rate are identical to those of control embryos.
Martí
M
M
Departament de Biologia Cel.lular i Fisiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
Nogués
C
C
Egozcue
J
J
Ponsà
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005615:Freezing; D051379:Mice; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015044:Zona Pellucida