Characterization of paracrystalline inclusions in chinese hamster oocytes and early embryos

Paracrystalline inclusions, readily visible with light microscopy, were found to be present in ovarian oocytes (beginning with unilaminar follicles), ovulated ova, and preimplantation embryos of the Chinese hamster. These inclusions appeared to be aggregates of finer filamentous structures visible only with electron microscopy. The use of various histochemical techniques suggested that the paracrystals were composed of protein with little or no lipid associated with them. Autoradiographic studies using ³H-uridine and enzymatic studies did not support the hypothesis that the paracrystalline inclusions were composed of RNA masked by a crystalline protein lattice.