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Ultrastructure of the human preovulatory oocyte

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Abstract

The ultrastructure of preovulatory human oocyte—cumulus complexes was described after inducing maturation by clomiphene, human menopousal gonadotropin (hMG), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatment. The majority of the oocytes was at metaphase, II of meiosis, with a radially orientated spindle. The oocyte surface was covered by a multitude of microvilli. Cortical granules were nonuniformly distributed along the cortex. A cytoplasmic polarization was observed. The cytoplasmic organelles were in general uniformly dispersed, with the exception of a narrow segment within which cytoplasmic membranes and mitochondria formed clusters. The spirndle was usually found at the borderline between the two regions of the cytoplasm. The functional significance of this polarization is not yet known.

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Szöllösi, D., Mandelbaum, J., Plachot, M. et al. Ultrastructure of the human preovulatory oocyte. J Assist Reprod Genet 3, 232–242 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01132810

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01132810

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