An ultrastructural study of relationships between the ovarian haemal system, follicle cells, and primary oocytes in the sea star, Asterias rubens. Implications for oocyte nutrition.

The genital haemal sinus, present throughout the gonad wall of sea stars, is supposed to be the site of ultimate accumulation of nutrients for the germinal epithelium. Early vitellogenic pear-shaped oocytes are attached to this sinus by stalk-like processes. The ultrastructure of this association and of the oocyte-follicle cell complex is described with emphasis on mechanisms involved in oocyte nutrition. The genital haemal sinus, and sometimes portions of the surrounding genital coelomic sinus, contain a fine granular ground substance and amoeboid cells. Material similar to the haemal ground substance also fills vacuities in the inner basal laminae of the haemal sinus and intervenes between this layer and adjacent germinal and follicle cells in the ovarian lumen. Vitellogenesis is first detectable as numerous vacuoles accumulate within the oocyte-stalk near the haemal sinus; they contain flocculent material and often fuse with adjacent lysosome-like vacuoles. As vitellogenesis proceeds, oocytes develop complex and tenuous connections with the haemal sinus. These consist of a network of pseudopodia that interdigitate with thin sheet-like extensions of follicle cells. These cells are attached to the oolemma by microfilamentous processes and contain regularly arranged concentrations of glycogen granules and well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum. It is concluded, that follicle cells provide each oocyte with a compartmentalized microenvironment within the ovarian lumen, that such compartments are intimately associated with the nutrient laden haemal sinus, and that nutritive and vitellogenic substances, derived extragonadally and stored temporarily in the ovarian wall, can pass through the oocyte-stalk.