title: The first polar body does not predict accurately the location of the metaphase II meiotic spindle in mammalian oocytes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate how well polar body location predicts spindle localization and to examine spindle morphology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, controlled animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mature, female golden hamsters.
  
  
  METHODS
  After superovulation with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin and hCG, metaphase II oocytes were obtained and imaged under digital polarization microscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Identify the meiotic spindle in living, unfixed hamster oocytes and determine spindle location relative to the polar body.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spindles were imaged in 30 oocytes and only in 5 of them could the polar body predict the spindle localization. In the remaining oocytes, the spindles presented a random distribution within the cytoplasm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data show that the polar body location is not an accurate predictor for meiotic spindle location in mammalian oocytes.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants Hospital, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island 02905, USA.
authors: C P
authors: CP
authors: Silva
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Kommineni
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Oldenbourg
authors: D L
authors: DL
authors: Keefe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D008540:Meiosis; D008647:Mesocricetus; D008677:Metaphase; D009865:Oocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015388:Organelles / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011247:Pregnancy