Developmental and Ultrastructual Characteristics of Mouse Oocytes Grown in Vitro from Primordial Germ Cells

• Published in: Human cell : official journal of Human Cell Research Society Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 67 - 74
• Main Authors: MOTOHASHI, Hideyuki H., KADA, Hidemi, SATO, Kahei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2004
• Subjects: Animals; Cells, Cultured; Female; Germ Cells - cytology; Meiosis; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Microscopy, Electron; mouse; oocyte growth; Oocytes - cytology; Oocytes - growth & development; Oocytes - ultrastructure; Organelles - ultrastructure; primordial germ cells; ultrastructure
• ISSN: 0914-7470; 1749-0774
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-0774.2004.tb00022.x

The aim of this study was to clarify the developmental and ultrastructual characteristics of oocytes grown in vitro from primordial germ cells. The female genital ridges at 12.5 days post coitus were cultured for 18 days on an insert membrane in Waymouth's MB75261 medium, supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum and 1 mM sodium pyruvate; subsequently, the follicles isolated from the tissue were cultured for eight days in Waymouth's medium supplemented with 5 μg/ml insulin. 5 μg/ml transferrin, 5 ng/ml selenium. 10 mlμ/ml follicle stimulating hormone, and 100 ng/ml stem cell factor. The primordial germ cells developed in vitro into oocytes of more than 60 m in diameter. The transmission electron microscopic analysis indicated that the oocytes, which developed in vitro, showed no obvious abnormality in their ultrastructure and had organelles appropriate for the oocyte size. However, a delay in the progressive changes of morphology in some of the organelles during oocyte growth was often found when comparing them to oocytes grown in vivo