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Related Experiment Videos

The human zona pellucida and scanning electron microscopy. Reality or artifacts?

G Familiari1, M Relucenti, M Ermini

  • 1Department of Anatomy, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy. giuseppe.familiari@uniroma1.it

Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology = Archivio Italiano Di Anatomia Ed Embriologia
|December 6, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Human oocyte zona pellucida (ZP) surface morphology varies, with porous and net-like structures being common. These ZP variations reflect oocyte maturation status, not artifacts, challenging previous interpretations.

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Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Human Embryology

Background:

  • The zona pellucida (ZP) is crucial for human fertilization.
  • Understanding ZP surface micro-morphology is key to assessing oocyte quality in assisted reproduction.
  • Previous studies have yielded conflicting interpretations of ZP surface structures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the surface micro-morphology of human oocytes.
  • To differentiate between genuine ZP features and potential artifacts.
  • To correlate ZP structure with oocyte maturation status.

Main Methods:

  • Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with traditional gold coating and conductive staining.
  • Saponin-ruthenium red-osmium tetroxide-thiocarbohydrazide (Sap-RR-Os-TC) method for enhanced ultrastructural preservation.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of 158 unfertilized human oocytes from assisted reproduction trials.

    • Main Results:

    • Traditional SEM revealed a predominantly porous, net-like ZP structure (79.5%) in 122 oocytes, with a minority showing a smooth or compact ZP (20.5%).
    • The Sap-RR-Os-TC method on 36 oocytes showed alternating tight and large meshed networks (86.1%) versus only tight meshed networks (13.9%).
    • Consistent results across methods suggest these ZP morphologies are genuine and linked to oocyte maturation.

    Conclusions:

    • ZP surface micro-morphology, characterized by porous or compact appearances, reflects genuine features related to oocyte maturation status.
    • The observed ZP structures are not artifacts but represent variations in the underlying microfilaments network.
    • A modern understanding of the ZP surface emphasizes its filamentous network, with apparent 'spongy' or 'compact' states resulting from network collapse.