The distribution of organelles in mammalian oocytes following centrifugation prior to injection of foreign DNA.

The centrifugation of oocytes from the domestic species is a necessary prerequisite to allow visualization of nuclei for the introduction of foreign DNA. This improvement in visibility which has allowed the production of transgenic animals is accompanied by a clear stratification of the organelles. In immature oocytes from the sheep, pig, and cow, four distinct zones are formed. These comprise, lipid, membrane-bound vesicles, organelle-free cytoplasm, and mitochondria. In mature ovine oocytes, a fifth zone of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) beneath that of the vesicles is formed. This SER is produced at discrete locations within the untreated cell. The potential for removal of these fractions has implications for relating patterns of protein synthesis with particular structural components. In intact oocytes, the cortical granules are located in a peripheral position beneath the plasma membrane. However, even after subjection to high centrifugal force (65,000g for 60 min), they maintain their original location. However, treatment with the cytoskeletal inhibitors, nocodozole and cytochalasin, results in rapid exocytosis after centrifugation. It is concluded that the maintenance of the spatial relationships of this organelle is mediated through the peripheral cytoskeleton.