Relation of intracellular pH and pronuclear development in the sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata,: A fine structural analysis☆

摘要

Zygotes,treatedwithsodium-freeartificialseawater(Na-freeASW)inordertoinhibittheelevationofintracellularpHatfertilization,wereexaminedbylightandelectronmicroscopy.Althoughsuchspecimenselevatedfertilizationmembranes,malepronucleardevelopmentandspermasterformationweresuppressed.InhibitionoftheseeventswasreversedwhenzygoteswereresuspendedinseawaterorinNa-freeASWcontainingammonia.Theseresultsindicatethatalkalinizationfollowinginseminationorprocessesaccompanyingthisalterationinduceapervasivechangewithinthezygotewhichsupportseventsoffertilization.