But when the oocytes start maturing, ELVAs get to work and start chopping up the aggregated proteins. The team found that this cleanup is essential for correct embryo development.

Oocytes are immature egg cells that develop in almost all female mammals before birth. ... or ELVAs for short. These structures – there are about 50 per each oocyte ...

The accurate distribution of chromosomes in an oocyte is essential for the correct transmission of genetic information to the ...

The researchers discovered special structures in the oocytes which they named EndoLysosomal Vesicular Assemblies -- or ELVAs for short. These structures -- there are about 50 per each oocyte ...

In young oocytes, they are situated throughout the cytoplasm. Later, as oocytes mature, ELVAs fuse together, relocate and ramp up their degradative machinery. By the time an oocyte is fully mature, ...

Oocytes are immature egg cells that develop in almost all female mammals before birth. The propagation of future generations depends on this finite reserve of cells surviving for many years without ...

A recent study involving murine stem cells showed a recapitulation of the entire female germline life cycle, which resulted in fertilizable mouse oocytes in culture. Among approximately 200 resulta ...

image: ELVAs pictured under a microscope. The ‘superorganelle’ roams the cytoplasm, capturing and holding onto toxic protein aggregates to protect oocytes from their toxic effects.

The researchers discovered special structures in the oocytes which they named EndoLysosomal Vesicular Assemblies – or ELVAs for short. These structures – there are about 50 per each oocyte - roam the ...