title: Translocation of active mitochondria during buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) oocytes in vitro maturation, fertilization and preimplantation embryo development.
abstract: Mitochondria are energy-supplying organelles, whose distribution and functional integrity are necessary for cell survival and development. In this study, the mitochondrial distribution pattern and activity during buffalo oocyte in vitro maturation, fertilization and preimplantation embryo development were revealed using a fluorescent dye and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Distribution of active mitochondria changed during buffalo oocyte in vitro maturation. Active mitochondria were transferred from the outer to inner and perinuclear cytoplasm as oocytes matured in vitro and aggregated around the pronuclei in the fertilized eggs. Active mitochondria were also observed in preimplantation embryos. In the two-cell stage, they were distributed throughout the cytoplasm. From four-cell to the spherical embryonic stages, active mitochondria translocated to the perinuclear and the periphery of the cytoplasm. These results confirm that mitochondria play an important role in oocyte and embryo. The distribution of active mitochondria might be a marked feature of buffalo oocyte maturation, fertilization and preimplantation embryo development in vitro.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: X-J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Y-P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y-Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: K-H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000196:embryology*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary*; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*