氮、磷、钾对豫麦50旗叶蔗糖和籽粒淀粉积累的影响

以豫麦50为对象,探讨了氮、磷、钾对小麦旗叶中蔗糖的积累及相关酶活性以及籽粒中淀粉含量和组分的影响.结果表明,施氮可以增加灌浆前期旗叶中的糖含量,施钾则提高了灌浆后期旗叶中的糖含量,而施磷则对旗叶中的糖含量影响不大.施氮、磷、钾均能增加蔗糖合成酶活性,但它们的作用时间不同：施氮活性增加在籽粒灌浆中期,施磷在灌浆前期,而施钾在灌浆前、中期.但氮亦可增加花后24 d的磷酸蔗糖合成酶活性,施磷增加了灌浆前、中期磷酸蔗糖合成酶活性,施钾则增加了灌浆后期旗叶磷酸蔗糖酶活性.施氮、磷、钾都提高了籽粒中总糖含量,增加籽粒中淀粉含量,其中施钾效果最为明显.施磷提高籽粒中直链淀粉的积累,而施钾则显著提高了籽粒中支链淀粉的含量.     

The urodele egg-coat as the apparatus adapted for the internal fertilization

Fertilization is a significant event for reproducing offspring. It is achieved under a species-specific environment, which influences the conditions to assure the successful fertilization in some cases. Several studies about the basic mechanism of fertilization suggest that the fertilization mechanism is modified among species to be suited for the fertilization environment. In amphibians, many anurans undergo external fertilization while most urodeles do internal fertilization. An amphibian egg is surrounded by egg-coats, which are composed of vitelline envelope and layered egg-jelly. They are significant as fields for the sperm-egg interaction at fertilization. The fertilization processes that take place in the egg-coats are supposed to be easily influenced by the fertilization environment, because they, especially egg-jelly, are exposed to the surroundings at fertilization. In the present article, we describe the fertilization system equipped in newt egg-coats. Newt sperm are stored in spermatheca that exists in cloaca of a female and directly inseminated on the surface of egg-jelly. Sperm motility and acrosome reaction are induced in the outermost portion of the egg-jelly. Motion of the moving sperm becomes vigorous in the egg-jelly and sperm are guided to vitelline envelope by the aid of egg-jelly structure. Most of the sperm passing through the egg-jelly, as the result, has been induced acrosome reaction and those sperm can bind to the vitelline envelope to contribute to the successful fertilization. This fertilization system has a distinct feature from the known system in species undergoing external fertilization. The feature of the system in the newt egg-jelly is discussed with the view to achieving the successful fertilization in the internal environment.     

根区水肥空间耦合对冬小麦生长及产量的影响

利用管栽试验研究了根区不同湿润方式（整体湿润、上湿下干、上干下湿）、施肥方式（整体施肥、上层施肥、下层施肥）及其耦合对冬小麦不同生育期生长及产量的影响.结果表明：下层施肥方式显著降低了分蘖期冬小麦的株高和叶面积,而不同湿润方式对分蘖期株高和叶面积的影响不显著,拔节期水肥同区方式的株高大于水肥异区方式,表现出协同耦合效应.上干下湿方式和下层施肥方式显著降低了根系干物质量、地上部干物质量和总干物质量,上层施肥方式有利于增加冬小麦生物量,而上湿下干方式与施肥处理对地上部干物质量和总干物质量的耦合效应明显.水肥同区处理的根冠比高于水肥异区处理;上干下湿方式的水分利用效率显著高于整体湿润和上湿下干方式,水肥同区处理的水分利用效率高于水肥异区处理,但下层施肥方式的水分利用效率较低.与上干下湿方式相比,上湿下干和整体湿润方式的冬小麦单穗粒数分别增加了41.7%和61.9%,上层施肥和整体施肥方式的单穗粒数高于下层施肥方式,上湿下干方式与施肥处理对小麦产量及产量构成因素（除千粒重外）的水肥耦合效应明显.不同水肥处理主要通过影响单穗粒数来影响冬小麦产量.     

改变施肥管理后不同肥力稻田土壤CO2排放特征

利用一个长达30a水稻土长期定位试验,在保证原有定位试验继续正常开展的前提下,将原化肥处理改施有机肥,原有机肥处理改施化肥或者增施有机肥。通过观测田间试验2012—2013年双季稻轮作周期内不同肥力水平稻田土壤施肥管理改变后的土体CO2排放通量(FCO2),研究不同后续施肥管理对不同肥力红壤性水稻土CO2排放的影响。结果表明:变更施肥能明显改变CO2排放动态变化,其中长期施用有机肥处理改施化肥后其FCO2明显减小,长期施用化肥或有机肥处理增施有机肥后其FCO2显著增大。有机肥和土壤有机碳均可促进土体CO2排放,有机肥处理有机物料碳添加量与CO2-C年排放量呈极显著的正相关关系(r=0.9015**,n=21),单施化肥处理土壤有机碳含量与土体CO2-C年排放量符合线性方程:y=10.962x-68.86(R2=0.7507,n=9,P0.01)。长期施用有机肥土壤改施化肥会导致其有机碳矿化损失,土壤有机碳含量越高,矿化损失量越多,最终其有机碳水平将与长期施用化肥的土壤有机碳平衡值一致;长期施用化肥或有机肥土壤改施或增施有机肥可促进土壤有机碳积累,外源添加碳越多,土壤积累碳越多;相同有机肥施用量下土壤有机碳含量越高,有机物料表观分解率越大,积累于土壤中的有机碳越少,不同有机碳水平土壤在相同有机肥管理下其有机碳最终会达到相同的平衡值。在有机碳水平较低(20.46 g/kg)红壤稻田上增施有机肥是提升已培肥水稻土有机碳含量的可持续发展措施,而在有机碳水平较高(14.45 g/kg)红壤稻田上应避免改施化肥。总之,在有机碳含量较高或者较低的中国南方红壤性水稻土上,持续的有机肥施用是保持或者提高其有机碳水平的必要措施。     

长期施肥对红壤性水稻土有机氮组分的影响

通过16年的田间定位试验,研究了长期不同施肥模式对红壤性水稻土有机氮组分的影响.结果表明：长期化肥处理对土壤各氮素含量的作用不明显;有机物料循环特别是有机肥和化肥配施显著提高了土壤矿质氮和有机氮含量,提高幅度分别为55.2%和38.8%.有机物料循环处理显著提高了酸解性氮组分,其对土壤铵态氮、氨基糖氮和未知氮含量的提高幅度分别为36.5%、68.4%和73.9%;有机物料与化肥配施后,氨基酸氮含量也显著提高,提高幅度达71.1%,但是降低了未知氮含量,降低幅度为34.5%.此外,各施肥处理土壤累积矿化氮量均随培养时间的延长呈增加趋势,有机物循环或配施化肥处理土壤矿化氮量均高于单施化肥处理.     

Evidence that the voltage-dependent component in the fertilization process is contributed by the sperm

To investigate the mechanisms that account for the voltage dependence of fertilization and provide an electrical block to polyspermy, we studied cross-fertilizations between three species of amphibians having different degrees of voltage dependence. Anurans, such as the toad Bufo japonicus, as well as the primitive urodele Hynobius nebulosus, have voltage-dependent fertilization; other urodeles, such as Cynops pyrrhogaster, have voltage-independent fertilization (Y. Iwao, 1989, Dev. Biol. 134, 438-445). Entry of Hynobius sperm into Cynops eggs was blocked by clamping the egg's membrane potential at +40 mV, as is the case for fertilization of Hynobius eggs with Hynobius sperm, but not for fertilization of Cynops eggs with Cynops sperm. Therefore, fertilization was voltage dependent in an experimental condition where only the sperm could be contributing this characteristic. The voltage-dependent properties of fertilization between Bufo eggs and Hynobius sperm were also characteristic of the sperm species; fertilization was blocked at +50 mV as in Hynobius fertilization, but not at +20 mV as in Bufo fertilization. These results support the conclusion that the voltage dependence of fertilization results from a component contributed by the sperm.     

不同覆盖施肥措施对黄土旱塬冬小麦土壤水分的影响

于2007年9月—2008年7月在位于黄土高原渭北旱塬的王东沟试验区进行冬小麦不同覆盖施肥措施（包括不施肥、农民习惯施肥、推荐施肥、推荐施肥+有机肥、推荐施肥+垄上覆膜、推荐施肥+垄上覆膜+沟内覆草、推荐施肥+全区覆草7个处理）田间试验,并采用水分中子仪定期观测土壤含水量,研究黄土高原旱塬区不同栽培措施下土壤水分的变化特征.结果表明：在干旱季节（春季）,推荐施肥+垄上覆膜+沟内覆草措施有利于贮存更多的土壤水分,其土壤储水量约比最低值（推荐施肥+有机肥）高48.2 mm,并可将土壤水分保持到冬小麦需水的关键期,而且推荐施肥+垄上覆膜措施仅次于推荐施肥+垄上覆膜+沟内覆草,表明这两种措施能够在田间蓄积较多天然降水,有利于黄土高原旱区雨养农业的发展.     

Soil microbes and plant fertilization

With respect to the adverse effects of chemical fertilization on the environment and their related expenses, especially when overused, alternative methods of fertilization have been suggested and tested. For example, the combined use of chemical fertilization with organic fertilization and/or biological fertilization is among such methods. It has been indicated that the use of organic fertilization with chemical fertilization is a suitable method of providing crop plants with adequate amount of nutrients, while environmentally and economically appropriate. In this article, the importance of soil microbes to the ecosystem is reviewed, with particular emphasis on the role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and endophytic bacteria in providing necessary nutrients for plant growth and yield production. Such microbes are beneficial to plant growth through colonizing plant roots and inducing mechanisms by which plant growth increases. Although there has been extensive research work regarding the use of microbes as a method of fertilizing plants, it is yet a question how the efficiency of such microbial fertilization to the plant can be determined and increased. In other words, how the right combination of chemical and biological fertilization can be determined. In this article, the most recent advances regarding the effects of microbial fertilization on plant growth and yield production in their combined use with chemical fertilization are reviewed. There are also some details related to the molecular mechanisms affecting the microbial performance and how the use of biological techniques may affect the efficiency of biological fertilization.     

The minimum effective spermatozoa : egg ratio for artificial insemination and the effects of mercury on sperm motility and fertilization ability in Clarias gariepinus

The optimal ratio of spermatozoa : egg (15 000 : 1) for artificial insemination of African catfish Clarias gariepinus gave fertilization and hatching rates of 80 and 67%, respectively. Below a sperm : ova of 3000 : 1 fertilization success decreased significantly. Excessive sperm (>15 000 : 1) partly inhibited fertilization success. Sperm motility was decreased significantly by 0·001 mg 1⁻¹ Hg²⁺ as HgCl₂, but its effect on fertilization was dependent on the sperm : ova ratio, since excess sperm masked the effect of the pollutant. The most sensitive sperm : ova ratio for monitoring pollutant effects on fertilization success was 1500 : 1, which corresponds to half the minimal amount that yields a high fertilization rate in artificial insemination. There was a good correlation between fertilization and hatching rates ( r =0·83; P<0·05). Although both fertilization and hatching rates provide equally good indicators of fertilization success, the more rapid fertilization rate test is recommended since it requires only 12 h.     

Effect of methyl-beta-cyclodextrin treatment of pig spermatozoa on in vitro fertilization and embryo development in the absence or presence of caffeine

A series of experiments were carried out to develop a new method to reduce pig polyspermic fertilization and produce more normal embryos, in vitro. Experiment 1 determined the effect of methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MCD) treatment during cryopreservation on sperm acrosome reaction and sperm fertilization. Compared to the non-MCD-treated control, MCD treatment increased the percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa at thawing and 2h after incubation in fertilization medium (P<0.01). Treatment with MCD also increased (P<0.05) sperm-penetration rate, number of spermatozoa in oocytes, and fertilization efficiency in the caffeine-free fertilization medium. Experiment 2 was designed to examine the effect of withdrawal of caffeine (caffeine-free) from fertilization medium on fertilization parameters and early embryo development. Using MCD-treated spermatozoa, there was no difference in sperm-penetration rate, oocyte cleavage rate, and blastocyst formation rate between the caffeine-free and caffeine-supplemented groups. However, polyspermic fertilization rate was lower, and fertilization efficiency and blastocyst cell number were higher in the caffeine-free group compared to the caffeine-supplemented group (P<0.05). Experiment 3 studied the effect of caffeine and different concentrations of spermatozoa on fertilization parameters. Sperm-penetration rate did not differ between the caffeine-free and the caffeine-supplemented groups at different sperm concentrations. Caffeine and sperm concentration had an effect on the number of spermatozoa in oocytes and on the polyspermic fertilization rate (P<0.002). Caffeine also affected fertilization efficiency (P<0.05). In conclusion, treating spermatozoa with MCD and withdrawing caffeine from fertilization medium may provide a new method to produce a large number of normal embryos, in vitro.     

氮磷用量对杂种小麦C6-38/Py85-1群体生长及产量的影响

在大田条件下研究了不同氮、磷用量对杂种小麦群体生长及产量的影响.结果表明,在试验供肥范围内 (N112.5～337.5 kg·hm^-2,P₂O₅ 90～270 kg·hm^-2),杂种的群体总茎数(PS)、群体干物重（PDW）、叶面积指数（LAI）、光合势（PP）和作物生长率（CGR）均以低肥处理低.高肥处理的PS和PDW高于中肥处理,高肥处理的LAI、PP和CGR分别于挑旗、拔节和开花期之前高于中肥处理,之后低于中肥处理.在低、中肥处理下,杂种各生育时期PS的离中优势（H_m）为负值,高肥处理冬前期、拔节期、开花期和成熟期分别为6.3％、49.7％、4.2％和10.8％;LAI的H_m除灌浆期中肥处理比高肥处理高3.8％、PDW的H_m除成熟期中、高肥处理间差异不显著外,其余各时期两性状的优势值高肥处理均极显著高于中肥处理;PP和CGR的Hm均以低肥处理最低,分别于拔节至挑旗期和挑旗至开花期之前高肥处理高于中肥处理,之后中肥处理高于高肥处理.杂种的籽粒产量及其H_m均以低肥处理最低,中肥处理的产量比高肥处理高216.2 kg·hm^-2;中肥与高肥处理之间产量的H_m差异不显著.     

Fertilization and the cytoskeleton in the red alga Bostrychia moritziana (Rhodomelaceae,Rhodophyta)

Time-lapse videomicroscopy was used to observe the effects of various cytoskeletal inhibitors on three important fertilization events in Bostrychia moritziana: spermatial mitosis, gamete fusion (formation of a fertilization pore) and nuclear migration along the trichogyne. The microtubule inhibitor oryzalin disrupted spermatial mitosis but had no other effect on fertilization. The actin inhibitors, jasplakinolide, cytochalasin B, latrunculin A and B and mycalolide B inhibited gamete fusion while BDM, a myosin-disrupting drug, inhibited all three major fertilization events. FL-Phallacidin was used to stain actin filaments in spermatia and trichogynes while microtubules were labelled with antibodies at appropriate stages of fertilization. Microtubules were only evident during spermatial nuclear division. Actin filaments were present in both trichogynes and spermatia throughout fertilization; they formed a discrete ring around the fertilization pore and ensheathed male nuclei as the latter migrated into and along the trichogyne. These results suggest that the actin/myosin system plays a role in the events of fertilization.     

长期不同施肥措施下岩溶水稻土可培养细菌群落变化及其主要影响因素

【背景】施肥是目前提高作物产量的较优策略,不同的施肥措施在不同程度上影响土壤肥力和微生物群落结构。【目的】探究岩溶水稻土理化性质变化与细菌群落变化的对应关系,进而反映不同施肥措施对土壤可培养细菌群落的影响。最后选出最优施肥方案,为后续的合理施肥工作提供依据。【方法】对岩溶水稻土进行不施肥、常规施肥、常规施肥加绿肥3种施肥处理,通过对土壤理化性质、可培养细菌群落丰度及多样性变化的研究,探究在不同施肥措施下对岩溶水稻土壤细菌群落的影响。【结果】对比不施肥处理,常规施肥处理下土壤pH值和有机碳含量下降,结合大量研究结果证明,无机肥或氮肥的长期过量施加使土壤pH值下降,常规施肥加绿肥有利于有机碳的积累。分离纯化共得到164株菌,分别来自Actinobacteria、Bacteroidetes、Firmicutes和Proteobacteria。属水平上常规施肥配施绿肥较常规施肥组优势菌属Sphingomonas、Lysobacter的相对丰度增加。细菌群落多样性增加,出现Paenibacillus、Streptomyces和Pseudomonas等特有功能菌属。优势菌属Sphingopyxis、Lysobacter、Paenibacillus、Bosea、Streptomyces、Pseudomonas和Bacillus与TN存在显著正相关,在常规施肥加绿肥处理土壤中增加。【结论】常规施肥加绿肥处理下,固氮、溶磷等功能菌丰度增加,增加土壤肥力,保持土壤养分的可利用性,对作物的增产起重要作用。岩溶水稻土常规施肥配施绿肥处理的效果优于不施肥和常规施肥处理。     

蓝猪耳受精生物学研究进展

蓝猪耳(Torenia fournieri L.)胚囊半裸露,在光学显微镜下能清楚观察到卵细胞、助细胞及部分中央细胞的形态结构,有助于原位观察卵细胞在受精前后的变化状态,被认为是研究被子植物体内受精机理的一种模式植物。综述了蓝猪耳的受精机理:花粉管定向进入胚囊的方式与机理、钙在受精过程中的作用、受精前后胚囊细胞骨架的动态变化。简要介绍了离体受精技术在蓝猪耳受精生物学中的发展应用。根据前人对蓝猪耳的研究成果并结合我们的研究,指出蓝猪耳在受精生物学中的应用,特别是借助离体受精技术平台,将具有更大的研究前景。     

Complete fertilization failure in ICSI

Abstract  Fertilization failure is one of the causes of infertility that becomes evident only after in vitro fertilization (TVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) have been attempted. Although the frequency of incidence of fertilization failure is low, if fertilization failure is encountered, medical treatment is usually stopped and serious psychological damage may occur to the patient.
While fertilization failure in IVF can be dealt with using ICSI, there is no treatment for fertilization failure in ICSI. At present, clinical investigations are being conducted to evaluate oocyte activation in combination with ICSI to cope with fertilization failure of ICSI.     

Inhibitory effects of calcium ionophore pretreatment of porcine oocytes on polyspermic fertilization

The present study examined the inhibitory effects of various pretreatment concentrations (0-100 microM) of the calcium ionophore A23187 on polyspermic fertilization and then examined the effect of the maturation period and the time between calcium ionophore treatment and fertilization on the inhibitory effect of calcium ionophore on polyspermic fertilization. In experiment 1, a high concentration of calcium ionophore (100 microM) increased the rate of activated oocytes, but the rate of fertilization declined. On the other hand, when oocytes were treated with a low concentration of calcium ionophore (10 microM), monospermic fertilization was significantly increased (10 microM; 31.3%) (p < 0.05). In experiment 2, oocytes were cultured for various times (0, 0.5, 3, 6 h) after calcium ionophore treatment (10 microM) before fertilization. The highest rate of monospermic fertilization was detected in the oocytes cultured for 6 h after calcium ionophore treatment before fertilization. In experiments 3 and 4, we examined the effect of the maturation period (40 h or 44 h) on the rate of fertilization and blastulation of oocytes pretreated with calcium ionophore. The treatment of oocytes with calcium ionophore significantly decreased the rate of polyspermic fertilization regardless of the maturation period (44 h: with calcium ionophore 26.25% vs without 78.8%; 40 h: with calcium ionophore 37.5% vs without 77.5%); however, calcium ionophore treatment increased the rates of monospermic fertilization and blastulation of the oocytes matured for 44 h, but not those matured for 40 h. In conclusion, activation with a low concentration of calcium ionophore (10 microM) and a further 6 h of culture before fertilization improved the rate of monospermic fertilization and blastulation.     

Studies of the mechanism of the electrical polyspermy block using voltage clamp during cross-species fertilization

Prevention of polyspermic fertilization in sea urchins (Jaffe, 1976, Nature (Lond.). 261:68-71) and the worm Urechis (Gould-Somero, Jaffe, and Holland, 1979, J. Cell Biol. 82:426-440) involves an electrically mediated fast block. The fertilizing sperm causes a positive shift in the egg's membrane potential; this fertilization potential prevents additional sperm entries. Since in Urechis the egg membrane potential required to prevent fertilization is more positive than in the sea urchin, we tested whether in a cross-species fertilization the blocking voltage is determined by the species of the egg or by the species of the sperm. With some sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) females, greater than or equal to 90% of the eggs were fertilized by Urechis sperm; a fertilization potential occurred, the fertilization envelope elevated, and sometimes decondensing Urechis sperm nuclei were found in the egg cytoplasm. After insemination of sea urchin eggs with Urechis sperm during voltage clamp at +50 mV, fertilization (fertilization envelope elevation) occurred in only nine of twenty trials, whereas, at +20 mV, fertilization occurred in ten of ten trials. With the same concentration of sea urchin sperm, fertilization of sea urchin eggs occurred, in only two of ten trials at +20 mV. These results indicate that the blocking voltage for fertilization in these crosses is determined by the sperm species, consistent with the hypothesis that the fertilization potential may block the translocation within the egg membrane of a positively charged component of the sperm.     

影响山羊体外受精的因素

以屠宰山羊卵母细胞为材料研究了公羊个体、附睾不同部位精子、成熟培养和受精时卵丘存在与否、卵丘扩展程度及卵龄对山羊体外受精的影响。结果表明 :1)不同公羊精液在受精、卵裂和桑椹 /囊胚率上都有显著差异 ;2 )附睾尾精子和鲜精的受精、卵裂和桑椹 /囊胚率无显著差异 ,但显著高于附睾体和附睾头精子 ;3)成熟培养 2 4和 2 7h卵母细胞的的桑椹胚 /囊胚率显著高于培养 2 1和 30h卵母细胞 ;4 )卵丘扩展 3和 4级卵母细胞受精和桑椹胚 /囊胚率显著高于扩展 0和 1级卵母细胞 ;5 )成熟培养前机械去卵丘严重影响卵母细胞体外受精和桑椹胚 /囊胚率 ;6 )受精前完全去掉卵丘显著影响桑椹胚 /囊胚率     

沙坡头地区草本植物层片对施加氮素的响应

以沙坡头人工固沙区草本层片植物为研究对象,分析不同氮肥处理下,物种丰富度、多度、盖度、高生长以及地上部生物量等群落学特征对不同氮肥水平的响应。人工施加氮肥1年的试验结果表明:除50g·m-2的施肥水平外,其他各施肥水平下群落物种丰富度均高于对照;多度随施肥梯度的增加整体上呈下降趋势,施肥梯度越高,下降越明显,其中在50g·m-2的施肥水平下,多度相比于对照下降了86.7%;盖度随施肥水平梯度的增大呈先上升后下降的趋势,在20g·m-2的施肥水平下盖度达到最大值,其与对照间的差异达到了显著性水平(P<0.05);植物高生长对氮肥水平的响应存在种间差异;地上部生物量则在低肥水平下高于对照,而高肥水平下低于对照。总体而言,氮肥水平对荒漠生态系统群落物种多样性和生产力的影响呈低肥促进、高肥抑制的效应。     

Insemination,intrafollicular fertilization and development of the fertilization plug during gestation in Heterandria formosa (Poeciliidae)

The viviparous teleost Heterandria formosa is a remarkable species for its reproductive characters including: (a) the smallest oocyte in viviparous fish species; (b) a high level of matrotrophy with a complex placenta; and (c) the highest level of superfetation. Superfetation involves (d) the continuous development of oocytes and fertilization at the same time with embryos in gestation. The sequential fertilization of oocytes requires (e) storage of spermatozoa in the ovary. Among these characteristics, fertilization is of fundamental interest, specifically the intrafollicular fertilization of poeciliids, species that do not present micropyle, and the consequent formation of the fertilization plug, a structure developed at the periphery of the follicle where the entrance of spermatozoa occurs. Both processes intrafollicular fertilization and formation of the fertilization plug have been rarely described. There is only one study illustrating, the fertilization plug of H. formosa with a drawing. In the context of reproductive aspects of H. formosa, the goal of this study is to describe the morphology of the ovary during insemination, intrafollicular fertilization and development of the fertilization plug. After insemination, spermatozoa enter the ovary and occupy folds of the lamella near follicles of all stages of oogenesis, the delle, where the germinal epithelium establishes contact with the follicular epithelium. The results of the present study provide evidence that both epithelia open at the distal end of the delle, this morphological change allow that the spermatozoa to make contact with the zona pellucida of the oocyte. After fertilization, the delle becomes blocked by proliferation of cells of the germinal epithelium, to form the fertilization plug that persists throughout gestation. Abundant reticular fibers and blood vessels are seen around the fertilization plug. Persistence of the fertilization plug suggests that it could be the site where the juvenile will gain entrance to the ovarian lumen during birth.