240OVINE PREPUBERTAL OOCYTE SHOWS ALTERATE GENE EXPRESSION AND LOW DEVELOPMENTAL COMPETENCE

Mural granulosa cell gene expression associated with oocyte developmental competence

BACKGROUND Ovarian follicle development is a complex process. Paracrine interactions between somatic and germ cells are critical for normal follicular development and oocyte maturation. Studies have suggested that the health and function of the granulosa and cumulus cells may be reflective of the health status of the enclosed oocyte. The objective of the present study is to assess, using an in ...

Outer space and oocyte developmental competence.

Oocyte developmental competence and embryo quality: distinction and new perspectives

In vitro embryo production is the cornerstone of infertility treatment in human and is increasingly used in cattle to propagate high genetic merit animals. To increase its efficiency, many different approaches have been tested all of which stem from the concepts of oocyte quality and developmental competence. Presented here are recently reported findings and perspectives related to bovine oocyt...

OCT4 and the acquisition of oocyte developmental competence during folliculogenesis.

The role that the transcription factor OCT4 plays during oocyte growth is yet unknown. In this review, we summarise the data on its potential role in the acquisition of oocyte developmental competence in the mouse. These studies describe the presence in MII oocytes and 2-cell embryos of an OCT4 transcriptional network that might be part of the molecular signature of maternal origin on which the...

The equine oocyte: factors affecting meiotic and developmental competence.

There is currently much interest in assisted reproduction techniques in the horse, however, many aspects of oocyte maturation, fertilization, and embryo development in the horse differ from those in other species. Because of the close attachment of the equine oocyte to the follicle wall, scraping of the follicle is the most effective method for oocyte recovery. A notable feature of equine oocyt...