Biol Reprod Track the topics, authors and articles important to you
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

BOR - Papers in Press, published online ahead of print October 3, 2007.
Biol Reprod 2007, 10.1095/biolreprod.106.058529
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
78/1/167    most recent
biolreprod.106.058529v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, F. H
Right arrow Articles by Vanderhyden, B. C
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, F. H
Right arrow Articles by Vanderhyden, B. C
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, F. H
Right arrow Articles by Vanderhyden, B. C
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 78, 167–175 (2008)
DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.106.058529
© 2008 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Kit Ligand 2 Promotes Murine Oocyte Growth In Vitro1

Fiona H Thomas , Rubina S Ismail , Jin-Yi Jiang , and Barbara C Vanderhyden 2

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa and Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8L6

ABSTRACT

Oocyte-granulosa cell communication, mediated by paracrine factors, is essential for oocyte development. Kit ligand (KITL) is expressed in granulosa cells as soluble (KITL1) or membrane-associated (KITL2) proteins. However, the relative biopotency of each isoform during oocyte development is unknown. Our initial results showed that Kitl2 was down-regulated in cultured granulosa cells. To determine the effect of the two isoforms of KITL on oocyte growth, Kitl-deficient fibroblasts were transfected with constructs expressing either KITL1 or KITL2, and growing oocytes were isolated from 12-day-old mice and cultured on the transfected fibroblasts for 2 days. At the end of culture, oocyte diameters were measured, the incidence of spontaneous germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) was noted, and oocytes were analyzed for KIT receptor expression. Oocyte growth occurred only in the presence of the KITL2-producing fibroblasts, and suppression of KITL2 expression impaired oocyte growth. Up-regulation of KIT expression occurred in the presence of KITL2 but not KITL1. The presence of KITL2 inhibited spontaneous GVBD. Meiosis inhibitors did not attenuate the GVBD that occurred in the absence of KITL2, suggesting that this process reflects oocyte degeneration rather than meiotic progression. These results indicate that KITL2 is the principal KITL isoform required for oocyte growth and survival in vitro.

follicle, follicular development, growth factors, oocyte development

FOOTNOTES

1This study is part of the Program on Oocyte Health funded under the Healthy Gametes and Great Embryos Strategic Initiative of the CIHR, Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health, grant HGG62293 (to B.C.V.). F.H.T. is a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Strategic Initiative Fellow, funded by a STIRRHS bursary.

Correspondence: 2Barbara C. Vanderhyden. FAX: 613 247 3524; e-mail: bvanderhyden{at}ohri.ca






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2008 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.