Selective staining of the ultra-structural components of cortical granules and golgi cisternae of sea urchin eggs.

Abstract

Phosphotungstic acid (PTA) was found to stain one of the components (dark bodies) of the cortical granules in sea urchin eggs. In the oocytes, where miniature presumptive cortical granules have been shown to be formed near Golgi complexes, the materials of the Golgi cisternae also revealed PTA-positive properties. Loss of PTA stainability after hyaluronidase treatment suggests mucopolysaccharide nature of this material. These observations moreover, strengthen the hypothesis that Golgi complexes are involved in the formation of cortical granules.