Oocyte Denudation

• Oocyte denudation refers to the careful removal of the cumulus cells that surround the oocyte after it has been extracted from the ovary.
• The oocytes are placed in a hyaluronidase medium and then repeatedly aspirated and deposited into the medium with the goal being to use the friction between the inner walls of the micropipette and the oocyte to remove the cumulus cells (also called mechanical stripping)
• Medium containing hyaluronidase is used as the cumulus cells contain hyaluronan and hyaluronidase breaks down hyaluronan which makes it easier for the cumulus layer to be stripped away.
• This step is very important as it makes it easier for the sperm to penetrate the egg during IVF.

(NOTE: Medium containing the enzyme hyaluronidase does not harm the oocyte in any way as long as the manufacturer’s instructions are followed by the embryologist)  

https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/GB/en/technical-documents/technical-article/cell-culture-and-cell-culture-analysis/3d-cell-culture/what-is-hyaluronan?srsltid=AU7gw4WzatO_Ox1jpY7Mx7zFeVf00ZcqRuQldNtXEUV7T_ZDyZIuPtHq

https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/coding-resources/coding/coding-art-lab-procedures/oocyte-denudation