The Oocyte

Figure 36

Normal homogenous cytoplasm in an MII oocyte (400× magnification).

Figure 37

Normal homogenous cytoplasm in an MII oocyte (400× magnification). ZP is dense and homogeneous.

Figure 38

MII oocyte with granular cytoplasm (400× magnification). ZP is thicker in the lower-left part of the oocyte in this view.

Figure 39

MII oocyte with granular cytoplasm (400× magnification). ZP is also abnormal with marked differences in thickness.

Figure 40

MII oocyte with granular cytoplasm. This figure can be considered as a slight deviation from normal homogeneous cytoplasm (400× magnification).

Figure 41

MII oocyte with a high degree of cytoplasmic granularity/degeneration (400× magnification). PB1 is larger than normal size.

Figure 42

A large refractile body can be seen within the oocyte cytoplasm (400× magnification).

Figure 43

MII oocyte showing a very large centrally located granular area occupying the majority of the cytoplasm. This granularity is typical of organelle clustering.

Figure 44

MII oocyte showing a large centrally located granular area in the cytoplasm denoting organelle clustering.

Figure 45

MII oocyte showing organelle clustering forming a large centrally located granular area in the cytoplasm. ZP has an irregular shape.

Figure 46

MII oocyte showing plaques of dilated SER discs in the cytoplasm (400× magnification). The SER discs can be clearly distinguished from the fluid-filled vacuoles pictured in Figs 48–51. The cytoplasm looks heterogeneous with granularity (on the left) and areas devoid of organelles toward the 12 o'clock position in this view.

Figure 47

MII oocyte showing plaques of dilated SER discs in the cytoplasm (400× magnification). The PVS is enlarged and PB1 is fragmented.

Figure 48

Vacuolated oocyte. Depicts an oocyte with several small vacuoles distributed throughout the oocyte cytoplasm (200× magnification).

Figure 49

Vacuolated oocyte. This oocyte has a single large vacuole occupying almost half of the oocyte cytoplasm (200× magnification).

Figure 50

Vacuolated oocyte. This oocyte has a single large vacuole in a dark, granular cytoplasm (200× magnification).

Figure 51

Vacuolated oocyte. Depicts an oocyte with a single small vacuole in the oocyte cytoplasm (400× magnification).

Figure 52

MII oocyte with a normal-shaped MS observed using confocal microscopy.

Figure 53

MII oocyte observed using polarized light microscopy with a visible MS just below PB1 (400× magnification).

Figure 54

MII oocyte observed using polarized light microscopy with a visible MS near to PB1 (400× magnification).

Figure 55

MII oocyte observed using polarized light microscopy with a visible MS just below PB1 that appears fragmented (two fragments). (400× magnification).

Figure 56

MII oocyte observed using polarized light microscopy. The MS is clearly visible near to PB1 (400× magnification).

Figure 57

MII oocyte observed using polarized light microscopy with a visible MS slightly dislocated from PB1 at the 7 o'clock position in this view (400× magnification).

Figure 58

MII oocyte observed using polarized light microscopy with a visible MS dislocated about 80° from PB1 at the 1 o'clock position in this view (400× magnification).

Figure 59

MII oocyte observed using polarized light microscopy with a visible MS highly dislocated (about 135°) from PB1 at the 6 o'clock position in this view (400× magnification).

Figure 60

MII oocyte observed using polarized light microscopy with a visible MS highly dislocated (slightly more than 90°) from PB1 at the 8 o'clock position in this view (400× magnification).