MITOCHONDRIOGENESIS IN MATURING SEA URCHIN OOCYTES: A COMPUTERIZED RECONSTRUCTION ANALYSIS

Abstract The dynamics of chondriome changes in oogenesis of the sea urchinParacentrotus lividuswere studied by electron microscopy. An oocyte-enriched fraction obtained by gonad mechanical dissociation without protease treatment was used. The shape, size and arrangement of mitochondria (Mt) in cells were quantitatively analysed on the basis of data from reconstruction experiments, with serial sections performed using a specific computer program. At all stages of oogenesis, the chondriome was shown to consist of rod-shaped Mt of various lengths and also of small amounts of globular Mt about 0.3 μm in diameter. Chondriome transformation during oogenesis is shown to involve the following proce…