The abundance and localization of snRNAs and snRNPs involved in processing and splicing of pre-mRNA has been studied during early mouse embryogenesis. The amount of U1, U2, U4, U5 and U6 RNA remains relatively constant between the postovulatory oocyte and 2-cell stage but increases three- to ten-fold in quantity between the 2-cell and blastocyst stages. Localization was examined by in situ hybr...

The requirement of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) for the initiation of meiotic maturation in porcine oocytes was examined using U0126, an inhibitor of MAPK activator. Immunoblot analysis and kinase assay showed that U0126 inhibited the phosphorylation and activation of MAPK incompletely in porcine oocytes. In this condition, maturation/M-phase promoting factor (MPF) activity was also ...

Bovine oocytes cultured in control medium or in medium containing dibutyrylcyclic adenosine monophosphate (dbcAMP) or an inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, IBMX) undergo germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). On the other hand, mouse oocytes remain arrested at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage when dbcAMP or IBMX is present. When 1 bovine GV stage oocyte is...

BACKGROUND To better understand the differences between in vivo (IVO) and in vitro (IVM) matured oocytes, we studied the chronological changes in cortical granule (CG) distribution and nuclear progression during maturation, and the competence of CG release and embryo development of mouse oocytes matured under different conditions. METHODS Oocytes matured in vivo or in different culture media ...

To improve controlled reproduction of Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis, the criteria for the evaluation of final oocyte maturation stages were revised. The new classification covers six preovulatory maturational stages (I -VI) from the end of vitellogenesis to germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and was based on macroscopic changes of preovulatory oocytes (position of the germinal vesicle, GVBD, ...

Mouse oocytes were cultured in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) and various agents that affect cytoplasmic calcium concentrations. Treatment that inhibited calcium uptake potentiated the inhibitory effect of dbcAMP and treatments which stimulated cellular calcium uptake overcame the effect of dbcAMP. Elevated extracellular calcium (greater than 10 mM) significantly decreased the in...

Nesfatin-1 is an anorexigen in goldfish. In the present study, we provide novel data indicating the presence and regulatory effects of nesfatin-1 on the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis of goldfish. Nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2)/nesfatin-1-like immunoreactive (ir) cells are present in the hypothalamus and in the pituitary, suggesting a hypophysiotropic role for nesfatin-1. NUCB2/nesfatin-1-lik...

The orderly progression of eukaryotic cells from interphase to mitosis requires the close coordination of various nuclear and cytoplasmic events. Studies from our laboratory and others on animal cells indicate that two activities, one present mainly in mitotic cells and the other exclusively in G1-phase cells, play a pivotal role in the regulation of initiation and completion of mitosis, respec...

ZP3 is a principal component of the zona pellucida (ZP) of mammalian oocytes and is essential for normal fertility, and knockout of ZP3 causes complete infertility. ZP3 promotes fertilization by recognizing sperm binding and activating the acrosome reaction; however, additional cellular roles for ZP3 in mammalian oocytes have not been yet reported. In the current study, we found that ZP3 was st...