title: Ca2+ oscillations and the cell cycle at fertilisation of mammalian and ascidian eggs.
abstract: At fertilisation of mammalian and ascidian eggs the sperm induces a series of Ca2+ oscillations. These Ca2+ oscillations are triggered by a sperm-borne Ca2+-releasing factor whose identity is still unresolved. In both mammals and ascidians Ca2+ oscillations in eggs are associated with the period leading up to exit from meiosis and entry into the first embryonic cell cycle. Thus, in mammals Ca2+ oscillations continue for several hours but are complete by within 30 min in the ascidian. In mammals and ascidians Ca2+ oscillations stop at around the time when pronuclei form in the 1-cell embryo. There is evidence to show that cell cycle factors are important in regulating the fertilisation Ca2+ signal. If the formation of pronuclei is blocked either in mammals (by spindle disruption) or in ascidians (by clamping maturation promoting factor levels high) then Ca2+ oscillations continue indefinitely. Here, we explore the nature of the sperm Ca2+-releasing factor and examine the relationship between cell cycle resumption and the control of Ca2+ oscillations at fertilisation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, The Medical School, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. v.l.nixon@ncl.ac.uk
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McDougall
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology; D002453:Cell Cycle; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D014561:Urochordata / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium