Abstract
Summary
Autoradiographic analysis revealed that follicularly-aged oocytes show a significant reduction in RNA synthesis, but the capacity to synthesize protein was unaltered. Abnormally low amounts of RNA were synthesized by 54% of the oocytes obtained from delayed-ovulatory rats and 7% of the control oocytes. The reduced RNA synthesis characteristic of the aged oocyte could be associated with metabolic changes which are responsible for the developmental anomalies.
Evaluation of RNA and protein synthesis in the cumulus cell mass, which surrounds the tubal oocyte, demonstrated that neither the percentage of cells labeled, nor the amount of RNA or protein synthesized by the cumulus cells, is altered during the follicular aging process. However, the cumulus cells which enclose the oocyte are more loosely associated with the aged oocyte.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.