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PERIODIC ACID SCHIFF-POSITIVE MATERIAL IN HAMSTER PREIMPLANTATION EMBRYOS

Pyruvate is the central energy source for the developing mouse oocyte and zygote (Biggers, Whittingham & Donahue, 1967) and for the two-cell stage embryo (Brinster, 1965), but glucose can be utilized as the sole energy source beginning at the eight-cell stage (Brinster & Thomson, 1966). A histochemical study by Thomson & Brinster (1966) has shown that glycogen is present in the ovulated mouse oocyte and increases in concentration until the blastocyst stage, when it almost completely disappears. Hence, these authors suggested that the polysaccharide is an energy source for the developing embryo. Since whole-mount preparations were employed in the histochemical study, and because the embryo enlarges between the 4th and 5th day, Ozias & Weitlauf (1971) suggested that the total