Biology of Reproduction, Vol 45, 824-830, Copyright © 1991 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

ARTICLES

Maintenance of meiotic arrest and the induction of oocyte maturation in mouse oocyte-granulosa cell complexes developed in vitro from preantral follicles

JJ Eppig
Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609.

During the development of oocyte-granulosa cell complexes from preantral follicles in vitro, oocytes grow and acquire competence to undergo germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB). In the culture system used here, GVB-competent oocytes were maintained in meiotic arrest solely by endogenous physiological mechanisms of the granulosa cells without supplementation with meiosis-arresting substances. Addition of mycophenolic acid, an inhibitor of inosine monophosphate (IMP) dehydrogenase, induced GVB in about 70% of the GVB-competent oocytes grown in vitro. The mechanism for meiotic arrest in this system is, therefore, similar to that for arrest in vivo insofar as it requires the participation of the IMP dehydrogenase pathway. Rp-cyclic adenosine monophosphothioate, a membrane-permeable antagonist to cAMP, induced GVB by about 30% of the competent oocytes. Cyclic AMP-dependent pathways, therefore, participate in the physiological mechanism by which mouse granulosa cells maintain meiotic arrest. Complexes were grown for 10 days in medium containing 0, 1, 5, or 10 ng/ml FSH, were stimulated with either 1 microgram/ml FSH or LH, and were assessed for GVB and cumulus expansion. GVB was stimulated by FSH whether or not the complexes were grown in medium containing FSH, but LH or hCG induced GVB only when the complexes were grown in medium containing FSH. Cumulus expansion occurred in response to either FSH or LH only when complexes were grown in medium containing FSH. FSH, therefore, promotes the differentiation of granulosa cells from preantral follicles in vitro so that LH can stimulate GVB and cumulus expansion.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. P. Norris, M. Freudzon, L. M. Mehlmann, A. E. Cowan, A. M. Simon, D. L. Paul, P. D. Lampe, and L. A. Jaffe Luteinizing hormone causes MAP kinase-dependent phosphorylation and closure of connexin 43 gap junctions in mouse ovarian follicles: one of two paths to meiotic resumption Development, October 1, 2008; 135(19): 3229 - 3238. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Ning, H. Ouyang, S. Wang, X. Chen, B. Xu, J. Yang, H. Zhang, M. Zhang, and G. Xia 3',5'-Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Response Element Binding Protein Up-Regulated Cytochrome P450 Lanosterol 14{alpha}-Demethylase Expression Involved in Follicle-Stimulating Hormone-Induced Mouse Oocyte Maturation Mol. Endocrinol., July 1, 2008; 22(7): 1682 - 1694. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Shkolnik, S. Ben-Dor, D. Galiani, A. Hourvitz, and N. Dekel Molecular characterization and bioinformatics analysis of Ncoa7B, a novel ovulation-associated and reproduction system-specific Ncoa7 isoform Reproduction, March 1, 2008; 135(3): 321 - 333. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-m. Shu, H.-t. Zeng, Z. Ren, G.-l. Zhuang, X.-y. Liang, H.-w. Shen, S.-z. Yao, P.-q. Ke, and N.-n. Wang Effects of cilostamide and forskolin on the meiotic resumption and embryonic development of immature human oocytes Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2008; 23(3): 504 - 513. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.-G. Liang, Y.-Q. Su, H.-Y. Fan, H. Schatten, and Q.-Y. Sun Mechanisms Regulating Oocyte Meiotic Resumption: Roles of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Mol. Endocrinol., September 1, 2007; 21(9): 2037 - 2055. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Freudzon, R. P. Norris, A. R. Hand, S. Tanaka, Y. Saeki, T. L.Z. Jones, M. M. Rasenick, C. H. Berlot, L. M. Mehlmann, and L. A. Jaffe Regulation of meiotic prophase arrest in mouse oocytes by GPR3, a constitutive activator of the Gs G protein J. Cell Biol., October 24, 2005; 171(2): 255 - 265. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Nicholas, R. Alberio, A.A. Fouladi-Nashta, and R. Webb Relationship Between Low-Molecular-Weight Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Binding Proteins, Caspase-3 Activity, and Oocyte Quality Biol Reprod, April 1, 2005; 72(4): 796 - 804. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]