Characteristics of Actin Fibers and Ultrastructure of the Contact Regions Involved in the Separation of Blastomeres of Two-Cell Mouse Embryos, Frozen–Thawed without the Zona Pellucida

Freezing of embryos deprived of the zona pellucida (ZP) decreases their survival rate immediately after thawing, and gives rise to the separation of their blastomeres in a high percentage of cases. We have studied the ultrastructure and the characteristics of actin fibers in the cell-to-cell contact...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cryobiology 1997-03, Vol.34 (2), p.94-106
Main Authors: Martı́, M., Grossmann, M., Santaló, J., Egozcue, J., Ponsà, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actins - metabolism
Animal productions
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
BIOLOGICAL PRESERVATION
Blastomeres - metabolism
Blastomeres - ultrastructure
Cell Adhesion
Cell Separation
CONGELACION
CONGELATION
CONSERVACION BIOLOGICA
CONSERVATION BIOLOGIQUE
CRYOPRESERVATION
Embryo, Mammalian - cytology
Embryo, Mammalian - metabolism
Female
FREEZING
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
In Vitro Techniques
Male
MICE
Microscopy, Electron
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Microscopy, Fluorescence
RATON
SOURIS
Terrestrial animal productions
Vertebrates
Zona Pellucida - ultrastructure
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Summary:Freezing of embryos deprived of the zona pellucida (ZP) decreases their survival rate immediately after thawing, and gives rise to the separation of their blastomeres in a high percentage of cases. We have studied the ultrastructure and the characteristics of actin fibers in the cell-to-cell contact region in mouse embryos frozen–thawed without the ZP at the two-cell stage. Our results indicate that most of the embryos that retain their blastomeres united after freezing and thawing show either the presence of a midbody, or a contact region with a close apposition of the plasma membranes but without an organized actin cortex in their contact region. Only a small percentage of embryos that retain their blastomeres united after freezing and thawing show a contact region with widely separated plasma membranes and an organized actin cytocortex.
ISSN:0011-2240
1090-2392
DOI:10.1006/cryo.1996.1983