title: Potassium salt microinjection into Xenopus oocytes mimics gonadotropin treatment.
abstract: Gonadotropin stimulates protein synthesis and growth in ovarian oocytes. The hormone is also known to modify transfollicular K+ fluxes and is now shown to cause increased intraoocytic K+ activity (aK). The hormone's effect on aK was duplicated by microinjecting K+ salts into oocytes which were incubated in paraffin oil. This treatment mimicked the influence of gonadotropin on both the rate of protein synthesis and the synthesis of specific polypeptides. These findings suggest that gonadotropin-stimulated oocyte growth is attributable largely to the hormone's influence on transfollicular K+ fluxes. They support the hypothesis that the K+ flux and aK changes observed during cell activation are critical in causing subsequent increases in protein synthesis and growth.
authors: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Michigan Cancer-Foundation, Detroit 48201.
authors: Y T
authors: YT
authors: Lau
authors: R R
authors: RR
authors: Yassin
authors: S B
authors: SB
authors: Horowitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D008845:Microinjections; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D007930:Leucine; D011188:Potassium