Chronological Reorganization of Microtubules, Actin Microfilaments, and Chromatin during the First Cell Cycle in Swamp Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Embryos
Figure 1
Images of swamp buffalo oocytes after staining with wheat-germ agglutinin (red) to localize the outline of the ZP, monoclonal-α-tubulin-TRIT C (red) to demonstrate microtubules, Alexa 488 phalloidin (green) to identify microfilaments, and DAPI (blue) to label the chromatin. (a) was illustrated using confocal microscopy. (b)–(f) were illustrated by immunofluorescent microscopy. An intact spermatozoon (arrow) was present within the cytoplasm of the MII oocytes at 6 h after IVF (a) At progression of chromosomal development after IVF from MII, the oocytes entered telophase II with one polar body, and the condensed chromatin were found at the pole of the astral microtubule (b). Sperm aster extended (arrow) from the base of the decondensed sperm head (c). Migration and apposition of male and female pronuclei were assisted by the dense array of microtubules found between pronuclei (d). Microfilaments were condensed in the middle line of the cell furrow during cleavage (e). A two-cell embryo with a dense array of microfilaments formed intensely beneath the plasma membrane of each blastomere (f).
