title: Long-term growth and differentiation of Xenopus oocytes in a defined medium.
abstract: Xenpus laevis oocytes over a size range of 0.15--0.78 mm3 were dissected from their follicles and cultured in a defined medium for up to 28 days. Oocytes grew at average rates of 0.021 mm3.day-1 in the absence of insulin and 0.030 mm3.day-1 in the presence of insulin. The latter average growth rate corresponds to the fastest growth rate reported to date for oocytes in vivo. Oocytes grown in vitro can reach a size of at least 1.43 mm3, which is larger than the maximum size generally found in vivo. During growth in vitro; oocytes also acquire both a normal pigment pattern and, once they reach about 0.7 mm3, the ability to undergo complete maturation as a response to externally applied progesterone. These results show that Xenopus oocytes freed of their follicular investments are able to grow and differentiate in vitro.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology*; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000378:metabolism; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D014819:Vitellogenins