Cortical Granule Exocytosis and Fertilization Coat Elevation is Reduced in Aging Sea Urchin Eggs

Extract

Cortical granules are specialized Golgi-derived membrane-bound secretory granules that are located beneath the plasma membrane in unfertilized sea urchin eggs. Upon fertilization cortical granules discharge in a reaction induced by calcium and release their contents between the plasma membrane and a thin vitelline layer that lines the plasma membrane. Microvilli at the plasma membrane elongate incorporting cortical granule membranes during elongation. The vitelline layer elevates and becomes the egg's fertilization coat that hardens and serves as physical block to polyspermy. While we do not understand the precise mechanisms that participate in cortical granule discharge it is believed that actin plays a role in this process. Because actin and calcium metabolism is affected in aging cells we investigated if cortical granule secretion is affected in aging sea urchin eggs.

Lytechinus pictus eggs were obtained by intracoelomic injection of 0.5M KCI to release the eggs into sea water at 23°C.