Water diffusion and water permeation in eggs from three Anuran species

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Abstract
Water exchange has been studied in ovarian and body cavity eggs of three Anuran species (Rana esculenta, R. pipiens and R. temporaria) with the isotope exchange method using the automatically recording diver balance. In order to estimate the rate of water diffusion in egg cytoplasm (D), a factor required to determine the rate of water permeation (= the exchange coefficient, E), three different chemical treatments (digitonin, ethanol and formaldehyde) have been used to remove the surface barrier to water flow. The obtained mean value of D, 5 × 10−6 cm2 sec−1, has been accepted as a close approximation of water diffusion in the egg cytoplasm. This value has been used to determine the exchange coefficients in the egg types of the above mentioned species. Comparisons have been made between the calculated values of E both within and between species, and some suggestions have been made concerning the influence of microvilli on the rate of water exchange. Although, on the average, water exchange proceeds at a greater rate in ovarian than in body cavity eggs, a measurable diffusion barrier at the surface can be demonstrated.