F. Sinowatz et al., IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PORCINE ZONA-PELLUCIDA DURING FOLLICULAR DEVELOPMENT, Anatomy and embryology, 191(1), 1995, pp. 41-46
Sections of bovine ovaries fixed in Bouin's fluid or methanol-acetic a
cid and embedded in paraffin were incubated with chicken polyclonal an
tibodies to HPLC-purified zona glycoproteins ZP3 alpha and ZP3 beta. O
ocytes of primordial follicles as well as of primary follicles showed
weak labelling with anti-ZP3 alpha and antiZP3 beta. No immunostaining
could be observed in the follicle cells. The ZP of primary follicles
displayed distinct immunoreactivity for both ZP3 alpha and ZP3 beta. I
n secondary follicles, distinct labelling with anti-ZP3 beta and weak
labelling with anti-ZP3 alpha could be seen in the oocyte. The ZP show
ed immunoreactivity with antibodies to ZP3 alpha and ZP3 beta. Both an
tibodies labelled single follicle cells. In tertiary follicles, the oo
cytes were weakly labelled with anti-ZP3 alpha and anti-ZP3 beta. Some
granulosa cells showed staining for ZP3 alpha and ZP3 beta. The ZP di
splayed strong immunoreactivity for ZP3 beta and ZP3 alpha. Cells of t
he corona radiata were strongly immunopositive for ZP3 alpha and ZP3 b
eta. Similar histotopography of immunoreactive cells could be seen in
preovulatory follicles. The characteristic pattern observed for the di
stribution of ZP3 alpha and ZP3 beta strongly suggests that in the por
cine ovary both the oocyte and the follicle cells contribute to the sy
nthesis of the ZP, perhaps in sequence.