OBJECTIVES In vitro maturation technique (IVM) is shown to have an effect on full maturation of immature oocytes and the subsequent embryo development. Embryonic genome activation (EGA) is considered as a crucial and the first process after fertilization. EGA failure leads to embryo arrest and possible implantation failure. This study aimed to determine the role of IVM in EGA-related genes expr...

Plant tissue culture is an alternative method of commercial propagation and is being used widely for the commercial propagation of a large number of plant species, including many medicinal plants. Somatic embryogenesis is a process by which asexual or somatic cells are induced to form embryos in culture. Somatic embryogenesis is a multi-step regeneration process starting with formation of pro-e...

Mammalian oocyte asymmetric division relies on the eccentric positioning of the spindle, resulting in the polar body formation. Small signaling G protein Rac1 is a member of GTPases, which regulates a diverse array of cellular events, including the control of cell growth, cytoskeletal reorganization, and the activation of protein kinases. However, effects of Rac1 on the porcine oocyte maturatio...

The major programs of gene expression during late embryogenesis are the muturation or reserve accumulation program and, after ovule abscission, the postabscission program that is composed largely of Lea and LeaA mRNAs that probably encode desiccation protectants. There are diverse opinions about the developmental regulators of these programs. Several candidates are evaluated here by measuring, ...

The involvement of apoplastic invertase (Ap Inv) and sucrose synthase (SuSy) in the somatic embryo development of black spruce (Picea mariana) was investigated under different maturation conditions. Replacing 6% sucrose with 3% or 1% sucrose in the maturation medium drastically decreased Ap Inv activity and amount in embryogenic tissues. This was accompanied by a decrease in the hexose pool tha...

Active mitochondria relocate during oocyte maturation or fertilization in several species. Detailed studies with hamster oocytes and early embryos reveal a pattern of active mitochondria migrating to surround the pronuclei to form a pattern that persists through the early cleavage stages. Although the functional significance of this relocation is unknown, it appears to be an important part of n...

Citrinin is one of the mycotoxins and has been shown to have various toxic effects in animals and humans. Although previous study showed the toxic effects of citrinin on the female reproductive system, especially on oocyte maturation, however, the causes or mechanism of citrinin on oocyte quality is unclear. In present study we deeply investigated this topic. We found thatcitrinin toxin exposur...

BACKGROUND Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder in women. The developmental competence of oocytes and embryos in PCOS patients is reduced to a certain extent (comparing to non-PCOS patients, the high quality embryo rate was decreased by 16% from the data of our centre) during the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process. Cross-talk between the oocyte and cum...

The chloroplast is one of the most important organelles found exclusively in plant and algal cells. Previous reports indicated that the chloroplast is involved in plant embryogenesis, but the role of the organelle during embryo morphogenesis and maturation is still a controversial question demanding further research. In the present study, siliques of Arabidopsis at the early globular stage were...

Maturation of Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) seeds produces deep physiological dormancy and resistance to desiccation. This study used two-dimensional electrophoresis to investigate the protein products of genes activated during the complex developmental process of maturation. Qualitative and quantitative changes in protein composition during maturation were tracked in this species. The mos...