Response to Sperm Penetration of the Cortex of Eggs of the Fish, Plecoglossus altivelis |
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Authors: | SHIGEHARU KUDO |
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Affiliation: | Department of Anatomy, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi 371, Japan |
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Abstract: | The response of the egg to sperm penetration was examined in eggs of the fish, Plecoglossus altivelis , by scanning electron microscopy. Eggs responded to sperm penetration by forming a fertilization cone at a "sperm entry site", which is a specialized structure in the egg surface under the micropyle. Within one minute, the fertilization cone showed dramatic morphological changes from its earliest appearance, through full two-storied growth to its marked recession. The sperm entry site in the egg surface is discussed as a morphologically specialized organ responsible for the entrance of a fertilizing spermatozoon. The morphological characteristics of the egg and sperm are also described. |
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