Distribution and size of lipid droplets in oocytes recovered from young lamb and adult ovine ovaries

Abstract

This study evaluated the distribution and size of lipid droplets (LDs) in oocytes recovered from young and adult ovine ovaries. Collected oocytes were categorised on the basis of their major diameter (small (SO), 70–90 µm; medium (MO), >90–110 µm; large (LO), >110–130µm) and were stained with Nile red to detect LDs. In adult and young oocytes, a diffuse pattern distribution of LDs was dominant in all classes except adult LO and young SO and LO. Larger LDs (i.e. >3µm) were mostly present in young SO and LO, whereas smaller LDs (1–3µm) were detected in the other adult and young oocyte categories.