Biomaterial Database

Phagocytosis of yeast by human oocytes: fine structural observations. 1987

J K Koehler, and W D Smith, and S Ravnik

Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.

Fine-structure observations have been made on the interaction between invasive yeast cells and human oocytes. The yeast appear to make their way through the zona pellucida and once in the perivitelline space are incorporated into phagocytic vacuoles by surface activity of the oocyte. The yeast attach to the vitelline membrane via fuzzy surface material on the cell wall, and incorporation appears to be aided by oocyte microvillar activity. Coated pits in the oocyte plasma membrane are incorporated into the phagosomes, but no lysosomal activity is seen, and neither oocytes nor yeast cells appear to undergo degeneration in the time frame investigated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D009865	Oocytes	Female germ cells derived from OOGONIA and termed OOCYTES when they enter MEIOSIS. The primary oocytes begin meiosis but are arrested at the diplotene state until OVULATION at PUBERTY to give rise to haploid secondary oocytes or ova (OVUM).	Ovocytes,Oocyte,Ovocyte
D010587	Phagocytosis	The engulfing and degradation of microorganisms; other cells that are dead, dying, or pathogenic; and foreign particles by phagocytic cells (PHAGOCYTES).	Phagocytoses
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012441	Saccharomyces cerevisiae	A species of the genus SACCHAROMYCES, family Saccharomycetaceae, order Saccharomycetales, known as "baker's" or "brewer's" yeast. The dried form is used as a dietary supplement.	Baker's Yeast,Brewer's Yeast,Candida robusta,S. cerevisiae,Saccharomyces capensis,Saccharomyces italicus,Saccharomyces oviformis,Saccharomyces uvarum var. melibiosus,Yeast, Baker's,Yeast, Brewer's,Baker Yeast,S cerevisiae,Baker's Yeasts,Yeast, Baker