title: Calcium-independent, meiotic spindle-dependent metaphase-to-interphase transition in phorbol ester-treated mouse eggs.
abstract: Mouse eggs, arrested at metaphase II of meiosis, form pronuclei as a result of fertilization or exposure to parthenogenetic agents, such as the phorbol ester phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Exposure of eggs to the microtubule inhibitor colcemid caused the disappearance of the meiotic spindle and prevented the PMA-induced release from metaphase. However, colcemid- and PMA-treated eggs which lacked spindles formed nuclei when treated in addition with the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide or the protein kinase inhibitor 6-dimethlyaminopurine. To prevent an increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), eggs were exposed to the cell permeant acetoxymethyl ester (AM) form of the calcium chelator 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N'N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA). Nuclei formed in 45% of eggs treated with BAPTA AM and PMA and in 90% of eggs treated with BAPTA AM, PMA, and cycloheximide, suggesting that an increase in [Ca2+]i is not necessary for the PMA-induced release from metaphase. The [Ca2+]i did not change in eggs which formed nuclei in response to PMA, providing additional evidence that PMA activates eggs without elevating the [Ca2+]i.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kline
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003703:Demecolcine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007399:Interphase; D008540:Meiosis / Q000502:physiology*; D008677:Metaphase; D051379:Mice; D010063:Ovum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C070379:1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid acetoxymethyl ester; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D002118:Calcium; D003703:Demecolcine