Distribution, composition and possible functional significance of lipids in the follicular epithelium of growing oocyte in the snake Lycodon aulicus ovary. A histochemical study.

A histochemical study has been made of the distribution, composition and possible functional significance of lipids in the follicular epithelium of growing oocyte in the snake (Lycodon aulicus) ovary. Lipid bodies composed mainly of phospholipids, and diffusely distributed lipoproteins are formed in the polymorphic and multilayered follicular epithelium of previtellogenic oocyte. The lipid bodies are apparently transported into the oocyte which simultaneously develops several such phospholipid bodies in the cortical ooplasm. It is suggested that the lipids contributed by the polymorphic follicular epithelium meet the nutritional requirement of growing previtellogenic oocyte for the construction of various ooplasmic organelles which simultaneously multiply in their numbers.