Ultrastructural Examination of The Effects of Piezoelectric and Strontium Methods on Oocyte Activation

Reproduction is an indispensable phenomenon that is necessary for all species to ensure their continuity and transfer their genetic characteristics to the next generation. Many couples encounter infertility as an important problem that is becoming more and more common. In our study, we aimed to investigate the effects of piezoelectric and strontium treatment which are two of these methods. It's also known that 50% of infertile couples has female factor infertility. Development of in vitro fertilization and assisted reproductive techniques, which increases the successful treatment possibilities and opportunity to study on basic reproduction projects, causes innovation in infertility issue. The most important step in oocyte activation is temporary increase of intracellular Ca+2 concentrations. If this doesn't occur, activation process arrests and causes infertility. Some methods are identified to increase intracellular Ca+2 concentration in women who has activation problems. Pregnancy have been achieved by using this kind of methods on cases with fertilization failures. Piezoelectric and strontium methods are two of this kind of methods. Strontium simulates the calcium oscillation and fertilization. Studies have shown that when the soluble spermatozoo factor, phospholipase C is activated, it hydrolyses phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate into the second messenger inositol 1, 4,5-triphosphate (InsP3). InsP3 reacts with InsP3 receptors localized on endoplasmic reticulum which contains calcium channels. It stimulates calcium oscillation from intracellular-storage and causes oocyte activation. In piezoelectric methods, an electric shock given to cell with 'electro cell manipulator' equipment after microinjection and consequently oocyte activation occurs. The aim of our study is to compare ultrastructure of the oocytes the group of treated with strontium and piezoelectric methods and non-treated oocyte control group with transmission electron microscope (TEM).