Permeability characteristics and osmotic sensitivity of rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) oocytes.
BACKGROUND
Permeability characteristics and sensitivity to osmotic shock are principal parameters that are important to derive procedures for the successful cryopreservation of mammalian oocytes.


RESULTS
The osmotically inactive volume of rhesus monkey oocytes was determined by measuring their volumes in the presence of hypertonic solutions of sucrose from 0.2 to 1.5 mol/l, compared with their volume in isotonic TALP-HEPES solution. Boyle-van't Hoff plots at infinite osmolality indicated that the non-osmotic volumes of immature and mature oocytes were 20 and 17% respectively. Osmotic responses of oocytes exposed to 1.0 mol/l solutions of glycerol, dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) and ethylene glycol (EG) were determined. Rhesus monkey oocytes appeared to be less permeable to glycerol than to DMSO or to EG. Sensitivity of oocytes to osmotic shock was determined by exposing them to various solutions of EG (0.1 to 5.0 mol/l) and then abruptly diluting them into isotonic medium. Morphological survival, as measured by membrane integrity, of oocytes diluted out of EG depended significantly on the concentration of EG (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Determination of permeability characteristics and sensitivity to osmotic shock of rhesus oocytes will aid in the derivation of procedures for their cryopreservation.
Songsasen
N
N
Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans and Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, New Orleans, LA 70131, USA.
Ratterree
M S
MS
VandeVoort
C A
CA
Pegg
D E
DE
Leibo
S P
SP
D000818:Animals; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D019855:Ethylene Glycol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005990:Glycerol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000378:metabolism*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009995:Osmosis / Q000187:drug effects; D009997:Osmotic Pressure
D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D019855:Ethylene Glycol; D005990:Glycerol; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide