Summary
The ovarian oocytes of Agriolimax reticulatus (Müller) have been studied by light and electron microscopy and electron cytochemistry. The development of the oocyte in the ovotestis may be divided into three stages.
During Stage I the oocyte cytoplasm contains mainly ribosomes and also strands of endoplasmic reticulum, scattered mitochondria and Golgi systems. The nucleus contains both a paranucleolus and an eunucleolus. By Stage II the oocyte has enlarged, especially in a plane parallel to the basement membrane. In addition to the above mentioned organelles, the cytoplasm contains lipid, glycogen and early yolk platelets. During Stage III, the oocyte continues to enlarge, but mainly in a plane perpendicular to the basement membrane. A considerable degree of cytoplasmic differentiation has also taken place. The plasma membrane of the oocyte has become specialized with the appearance of a polysaccharide-rich glycocalyx, microvilli and pinocytotic tubules. Elsewhere, much of the background cytoplasm, containing Golgi-derived, polysaccharide and acid phosphatase-rich multivesiculate bodies, lipid and glycogen, is sequestered by smooth membranes and ultimately fuses with the growing yolk platelets. The nucleus contains an amphinucleolus, characteristic of many gastropods.
The findings of this study are discussed in relation to results from other studies on oogenesis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, E.: Events associated with differentiating oocytes in two species of amphineurans (Mollusca), Mopalia mucosa and Chaetopleura apiculata. J. Cell Biol. 27, 6A (1965)
Anderson, E.: Cortical alveoli formation and Vitellogenesis during oocyte formation in the pipefish, Syngnathus fuscus, and the killi fish Fundulus heteroclitus. J. Morph. 125, 23–60 (1968)
Anderson, E.: Oocyte — follicle cell differentiation in two species of Amphineurans (Mollusca), Mopalia mucosa and Chaetopleura apiculata. J. Morph. 129, 89–125 (1969)
Anderson, E.: Comparative aspects of the ultrastructure of the female gamete. Int. Rev. Cytol. 4, 1–70 (1974)
Beams, H.W., Sekhon, S.S.: Electron microscope studies on the oocyte of the freshwater mussel (Anodonta) with special reference to the stalk and mechanism of yolk deposition. J. Morph. 119, 477–502 (1966)
Bedford, L.: The electron microscopy and cytochemistry of oogenesis, and the cytochemistry of embryonic development of the prosobranch gastropod Bembicum nanum L. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 15, 15–37 (1966)
Berkowitz, L.R., Fiorello, O., Kruger, L., Maxwell, D.S.: Selective staining of nervous tissue for light microscopy following preparation for electron microscopy. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 16, 808–814 (1968)
Bottke, W.: Investigations on the ultrastructure of the ovary of Viviparus contectus (Miller 1813) (Gastropoda, Prosobranchia). Z. Zellforsch. 138, 239–259 (1973a)
Bottke, W.: Lampenbürstenchromosomen und Amphinukleolen in Oocytenkernen der Schnecke Bithynia tentaculata (L). Chromosoma (Berl.) 42, 175–190 (1973b)
Bottke, W.: Fine structure of the ovarian follicle of Alloteuthis subulata Lam (Mollusca, Cephalopoda). Cell Tiss. Res. 150, 463–479 (1974)
Bowen, I.D., Ryder, T.A., Winters, C.: The distribution of oxidizable mucosubstances and polysaccharides in the planarian Polycelis tenuis Iijima. Cell Tiss. Res. 161, 263–275 (1975)
Dumont, J.N.: Oogenesis in the annelid Enchytraeus albidus with special reference to the origin and cytochemistry of yolk. J. Morph. 129, 317–344 (1969)
Dumont, J.N., Anderson, E.: Vitellogenesis in the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus. J. Microscopie (Paris) 6, 791–806 (1967)
Favard, P., Carasso, N.: Origine et ultrastructure des Plaquettes vitellines de la Planorbe. Arch. Anat. micr. Morph. exp. 47, 211–234 (1958)
Gall, J.G.: Differential synthesis of the genes for ribosomal RNA during amphibian oogenesis. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 60, 553–560 (1968)
Gibbons, I., Grimstone, A.V.: On flagellar structures in certain flagellates. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 7, 697–716 (1960)
Ito, S.: Structure and function of the glycocalyx. Fed. Proc. 28, 12–25 (1969)
Kielbówna, L., Kościelski, B.: A cytochemical and autoradiographic study of oocyte nucleoli in Lymnaea stagnalis L. Cell Tiss. Res. 152, 103–111 (1974)
Miller, O.L., Beatty, B.R.: Nucleolar structure and function. In: Handbook of molecular cytology (A. Lima-de-Faria, ed.). Amsterdam-London: North-Holland Publishing Company 1969
Millonig, G.: Advantages of phosphate buffer for OsO4 solutions in fixation. J. appl. Physics 32, 1637 (1961)
Monneron, A., Bernhard, W.: Action de certaines enzymes sur des tissues inclus en Epon. J. Microscopie (Paris) 5, 697–714 (1966)
Perkowska, E., MacGregor, H.C., Birnstiel, M.L.: Gene amplifaction in the oocyte nucleus of mutant and wild-type Xenopus laevis. Nature (Lond.) 217, 649–650 (1968)
Recourt, A.: Elektronenmicroscopisch onderzoek naar de oogenese bij Lymnaea stagnalis L. Thesis Utrecht 1961
Reynolds, E.S.: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J. Cell. Biol. 17, 208–212 (1963)
Ribbert, D., Kunz, W.: Lampenbürstenchromosomen in den Oocytenkernen von Sepia officinalis. Chromosoma (Berl.) 28, 93–106 (1969)
Romanova, L.G., Gazarian, K.G.: Studies of RNA and protein metabolism in the nucleoli of the mollusc's oocytes. [Russian]. Citologija 8, 648–652 (1966)
Ryder, T.A., Bowen, I.D.: A method for the fine structural localization of acid phosphatase activity using p. Nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 23, 235–237 (1975)
Schectman, A.M.: I. Ontogeny of the blood and related antigens and their significance for the theory of differentiation. In: Biological specificity and growth (E.G. Butler, ed.). New Jersey: Princeton University Press 1955
Taylor, G.T., Anderson, E.: Cytochemical and fine structural analysis of oogenesis in the gastropod, Ilyanassa obsoleta. J. Morph. 129, 211–248 (1969)
Ubbels, G.A.: A Cytochemical study of oogenesis in the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Thesis, Rotterdam 1968
Wartenberg, H.: Experimentelle Untersuchungen über die Stoffaufnahme durch Pinocytose während der Vitellogenese der Amphibienoocyten. Z. Zellforsch. 63, 1004–1019 (1964)
Yamamoto, K.: The origin and significance of the amphinucleolus. Studies on the oocytes in Limax flavus J. Nara. med. Ass. 17, 497–535 (1966)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hill, R.S., Bowen, I.D. Studies on the ovotestis of the slug Agriolimax reticulatus (Müller). Cell Tissue Res. 173, 465–482 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00224309
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00224309