흰쥐의 배아발생 동안에 피질반응 후 배아 외부에 새롭게 형성된 피질과립막 (cortical granule envelope, CGE)이 존속하는지 여부와 투명대와 배아표면의 미세구조 변화를 조사하였다. 흰쥐배아의 투명대와 배아표면의 미세구조는 주사전자현미경으로 관찰하였으며, 피질과립막 형성과 분포는 Ulex europaeus agglutinin I lectin을 표지하여 형광현미경으로 관찰하였다. 배아표면은 미수정란 과는 다르게 배아표면의 미세융모가 단축

Preimplantation embryos of the rat was examined by the morphological changes in the cortical granule envelope (CGE), blastomere surface, and zona pellucida (ZP) of embryo after cortical reaction. The ultrastructural characteristics and CGE of embryos were observed with the scanning electron microscope and fluorescence microscope. In the ultrastructural characteristic of embryo surface, surface microvilli were shortened and the CGE-like structure existed above microvilli in eight-cell embryo. Rough spongy surface and decreased network numbers were key characters of embryonic ZP compared to unfertilized oocyte. The CGE formed by cortical reaction existed in perivitelline space during embryo development but it was thin and locally distributed ill contrast to fertilized oocyte. The present results indicate that cortical reaction forms cortical granule envelope in perivitelline space and causes not only zona hardening, but also ultrastructural changes in ZP and cell membrane of preimplantation embryos.

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