Amino acid transport in the unfertilized and fertilized mouse egg

Abstract

The transport of methionine into unfertilized and fertilized mouse eggs appears to involve active transport mechanisms with similar Vmax, Km, substrate specificity and independence from Na+. An exchange diffusion system with a similar amino acid specificity to the uptake system has also been found in both types of egg. An estimate of 6.5 fmol has been made for the size of the total internal pool of exchangeable amino acids.