Oocyte ultrastructural characteristics in camel (Camelus dromedarius) primordial to large antral follicles

This study was conducted to describe in detail the ultrastructural features and morphological characteristics of camel oocytes from preantral follicles in relation to the sequential stages of follicular development and also for oocytes from antral follicles in relation to their diameter. Camel oocytes from primordial, primary, secondary and also early to late antral follicles were processed and examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. Primordial follicular oocytes were characterized by a layer of flattened granulosa cells around and also eccentric nucleus and few cytoplasmic organelles in the peripheral region. Up to the secondary follicle stage, flat cells were replaced by cuboidal granulosa cells and their number increased and also an increase in the number of organelles such as vesicles, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum was observed. In the early antral stage, the formation of zona pellucida, appearance of microvilli and pleomorphic mitochondria was seen and the nucleus was dislocated to the peripheral region. During final growth phase, the extent of endoplasmic reticulum, vesicles and mitochondria increased, the number of lipid droplets decreased and cumulus cell process endings (CCPE) were observed. In conclusion, the growth of camel oocyte is associated with progressive increase in the number of mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complexes and cytoplasmic vesicles as well as decrease in the number of lipid droplets and the nucleus migration from an eccentric in preantral to a peripheral location in antral follicles.