Summary
Fertilized ova were flushed from the Fallopian tubes of New Zealand White rabbits at 15 to 30 hours after mating and examined with the electron microscope. Between 21 and 22 hours intact pronuclei with extensive interdigitation of apposing surfaces were found in most ova. In some, an appearance suggesting internuclear communication was observed. In other ova disrupted pronuclear membranes surrounded centrally placed chromosome aggregates. In still others an advanced cleavage furrow was already present. By 23 hours all ova were in the two-cell stage.
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The authors wish to thank Dr. Luciano Zamboni for his suggestions and review of the manuscript. This research was supported by a grant from the Ford Foundation and by General Research Support Grant RRO 55511 from the National Institutes of Health. Technical assistance was provided by Mrs. Lucy A. Connor.
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Gondos, B., Bhiraleus, P. Pronuclear relationship and association of maternal and paternal chromosomes in flushed rabbit ova. Z. Zellforsch. 111, 149–159 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00339782
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00339782