title: Ultrastructural study of cat zona pellucida during oocyte maturation and fertilization.
abstract: The mammalian zona pellucida (ZP) is an extracellular glycoprotein structure formed around growing oocytes, ovulated eggs and preimplantation embryos. The specific functions of ZP are highly determined by its morphological structure. Studies on cat oocytes during maturation and after fertilization were undertaken, using routine transmission (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two basic ZP layers - outer with rough spongy appearance and inner with smaller fenestrations and smooth fibrous network - were visible. Deposits, secreted by oviductal cells formed new layer, the so called oviductal ZP. After fertilization outer ZP showed rougher meshed network due to fusion between filaments as a consequence from sperm penetration while the inner was smoother with melted appearance. The presented data on the SEM and TEM characteristics of cat oocytes, together with our previous studies on carbohydrate distribution suggest that during oocyte maturation and fertilization ZP undergoes structural and functional rearrangements related to sperm binding and penetration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Morphology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Yordanka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Martinova
authors.forename: Malcho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petrov
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mollova
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rashev
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ivanova
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000662:veterinary; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*