Modification of the endoplasmic reticulum in some mammalian oocytes

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Abstract
Oocytes of the hamster, rat, Mongolian gerbil and squirrel monkey demonstrate an unusual “twin” or multilaminated arrangement of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Two or more cisternae appose laterally apparently after the ribosomes vanish from the adjacent surfaces. A central electron dense leaflet, composed of filamentous components can be discerned between the apposed surfaces. Between two cisternae of the membrane complex found in hamster oocytes, narrow connecting pillars or walls also develop. The nuclear envelope frequently represents one cisternal element in the membrane complex, at which place nuclear pores are lacking. In rat oocytes the endoplasmic reticulum cisternae take on either a concentric form, apparently by end‐to‐end fusion of “twin” cisternal membranes, or form a spiral by several turns of the same cisternum. No functional role could be suggested for the observed specilization of the endoplasmic reticulum.