Aging of mouse eggs in vivo and in vitro

Abstract Morphological and cytochemical (acid phosphatase) changes associated with mouse ova and cumulus cells aged within the oviducts (in vivo) or in culture (in vitro; 1–24 hours postovulation) have been investigated. Structural alterations of cumulus cells were apparent immediately after ovulation and included nuclear pycnosis and cytoplasmic vacuolization. Nevertheless, approximately 30% of the cumulus masses examined contained cells that plated out when cultured and remained viable for up t o three days in vitro. From 12 t o 24 hours postovulation almost all cumulus cells of specimens aged in vivo showed signs of degeneration. Disruption of the meiotic spindle and an increase in acid phosphatase positive organelles were characteristic of in vivo and in vitro aging ova. The percentage of fragmented eggs obtained from super‐ovulated (5 IU PMS followed by 5 IU HCG) mice approximately one and 24 hours postovulation was not significantly different. Eggs obtained from superovulated animals and aged in vitro for 24 hours yielded significantly more fragmented ova. Fragmented eggs were not obtained from cycling females on the morning of estrus. When such eggs were cultured in vitro for 24 hours the percent fragmentation was significantly lower than that for aged eggs obtained from super‐ovulated mice. These results indicate that 1) similar morphological alterations occur among cumulus cells and eggs aged either in vitro or in vivo, 2) ova from superovulated mice do not constitute a homogeneous population and 3) the method of superovulation employed in this study induces the ovulation of a relatively large group of eggs that are susceptible to fragmentation when cultured in vitro.