SOME FEMALE COORDINATING FACTORS IN AMPHIBIAN FERTILIZATION

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Abstract
The influence of volume and ionic composition of the hydrating media upon the fertility of Bufo arenarum oocyte strings, has been studied with the following results: a) when immersed in equal volumes of ionic and non-ionic media, oocyte strings have been found to become more hydrated in the latter ones; b) oocytes are no longer fertile when hydration is 300-400% of their original weight (critical hydration). Fertility is recovered by adding ions or egg water to the medium or by modifying its pH; c) when hydration is beyond 500% of the original string weight (extensive hydration) fertility can also be recovered by these treatments, but only after a partial jelly-coat liquefaction by thioglycolate. Egg water was also studied, and shown to have a buffering capacity between pH 5.5 and 7.0. It seems not to influence acrosomic proteinase release.