THE CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ANTISERUM AGAINST ZONA-PELLUCIDA OF DOMESTIC CATS

The non-enzymatic isolation procedure of zona pellucida from the ovaries of domestic cats, presented here, can provide a sufficient number of oocytes (163 +/- 73 per ovary) for further biochemical and immunological processing. Guinea pigs were immunised with acid-dissolved zona proteins and the obtained antiserum against zona pellucida of domestic cats was characterised by immunoblotting and immunohistochemical staining of ovary sections. Only one major protein band at 67 kDa was detected in sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cat zonae pellucidae. The impact of antiserum on cat oocytes was characterised by precipitation of the zona surface, a reduced sperm binding and totally inhibited fertilising ability of cat spermatozoa in vitro. The species specificity of zona alteration by incubation in the antiserum was investigated using oocytes from different mammalian species.