Communications of Oocyte-Granulosa Cells in the Chum Salmon Ovary Detected by Transmission Electron Microscopy: (oocyte/granulosa cell/intercellular junction/salmonid ovary/teleost).

The communications between oocytes and granulosa cells in the ovary of the chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, were examined in follicles in which the oocytes were at the stage of germinal vesicle migration. Microvilli were seen extending through the radial canals of the egg envelope and terminating in either the subfollicular space or at the surface of granulosa cells. Cytoplasmic processes extending from granulosa cells toward oocytes were also observed; most of the processes appeared to end in the radial canals, but some passed through the canals and terminated as bulbs in slight depressions or indentations of the oolemma. Various types of junctional structures that participated in intimate association between these cells were seen. The granulosa cells were found to be firmly fixed on the surface of the intrafollicular oocyte by means of desmosomes or desmosome-like junctions. It is speculated that intrafollicular oocytes communicate with surrounding granulosa cells directly through gap junctions and indirectly by endocytosis of material released from the granulosa cells.