Parthenogenesis and cytoskeletal organization in ageing mouse eggs.

Cortical mechanics and myosin-II abnormalities associated with post-ovulatory aging: implications for functional defects in aged eggs.

STUDY HYPOTHESIS Cellular aging of the egg following ovulation, also known as post-ovulatory aging, is associated with aberrant cortical mechanics and actomyosin cytoskeleton functions. STUDY FINDING Post-ovulatory aging is associated with dysfunction of non-muscle myosin-II, and pharmacologically induced myosin-II dysfunction produces some of the same deficiencies observed in aged eggs. WH...

P-96: Mechanical Activation of Parthenogenesis in Mouse Oocytes Using Hydrostatic Pressure

Effective protocols are introduced for parthenogenesis activation in oocytes. Hydrostatic pressure can act as a mechanical stimulator that rearranges egg contents, leading to new structural or molecular combination. Alternatively, mechanical stimulation could stimulate a mechanically-gated process, such as opening or closing of stretch activated ion channels. This study, investigated the use of...

Membrane and cortical abnormalities in post-ovulatory aged eggs: analysis of fertilizability and establishment of the membrane block to polyspermy.

Fertilization at increased times after ovulation is associated with poor reproductive outcomes. This study examines the effects of post-ovulatory ageing on egg membrane function through analyses of mouse eggs collected at 13 and 22 h post-HCG ('young' and 'aged' eggs, respectively). Experiments in which fertilized zona pellucida-free young and aged eggs are challenged with additional sperm reve...

Parthenogenesis in unfertilized eggs of Coturnix chinensis, the Chinese painted quail, and the effect of egg clutch position on embryonic development.

Parthenogenesis, embryonic development of an unfertilized egg, was studied for many years in turkeys. In fact, as many as 49% of unfertilized Beltsville Small White turkey eggs develop embryos. However, no research exists on parthenogenesis in quail. The Chinese painted quail is a close relative of the more common Japanese quail and, unlike turkeys or chickens, the small Chinese painted quail r...

Reproductive Performance of Mouse Oocyte after In Vivo Exposure of The Ovary to Continuous Wave Ultrasound