| Description |
Early oocytes of almost all studied animal species contain transient organelle assemblage called the Balbiani body (Bb) or “mitochondrial cloud”[1]. Bb in various species became extremely confusing and the name Balbiani body has been substituted with terms such as yolk nucleus/body/complex, vitelline/nucleus/body, mitochondrial cloud/mass/aggregate, sponge body or even, erroneously, has been equated to the germ plasm. The structure and composition of the Bb differ between species, it is highly dynamic during oocyte growth and in many instances its function(s) remains either highly hypothetical or completely unknown[2]. Bb always contains two essential elements: numerous tightly clustered mitochondria and accumulations of electron-dense granulo-fibrillar material, known as the nuage[1]. |