Polarized light microscopy and digital image processing identify a multilaminar structure of the hamster zona pellucida.

摘要: The zona pellucida (zona) is a glycoprotein coat that envelopes the oocyte and embryo, binds sperm during fertilization facilitates transfer of embryo through Fallopian tube. Before implantation can occur, blastocyst must hatch from zona. Several lines evidence suggest multilaminar. We hypothesized multilaminar structure filaments could be imaged non-destructively with polarized light microscope. A recent modification microscope (pol-scope), which combines innovations in polarization optics novel image processing software, allows measurement birefringence at all points image. Hamster metaphase II oocytes were placed on glass coverslips replaced bottom culture dishes, under differential interference contrast (DIC) pol-scope optics, then digitized processed to measure magnitude orientation. revealed divided into outer inner layers separated by zone low retardance. This finding consistent layer oriented tangentially radially. mammalian suggested lectin binding scanning electron microscopy pol-scope. Because provides non-destructive method identify macro-molecular organization zona, it may prove useful developmental studies hatching direct resection