Chromatin organisation and nuclear architecture in growing mouse oocytes.
Although the female gamete is blocked at the dictyate stage of the first meiotic prophase during the whole folliculogenesis, many important epigenetic changes occur to organise the genome to attend early embryonic development. In this paper, we will describe the results of a number of studies aimed to improve our understanding of the nuclear organization of the mouse oocyte during folliculogenesis. Using silver methods that stain NOR, centromeres and heterochromatin, as well as, the use of specific antibodies for the demonstration of centromeres, we have described the changes to the chromatin organisation and to the spatial localisation of chromocenters and centromeres during oocyte growth; these changes have been correlated to the developmental competence of the resulting antral and metaphase II (MII) oocyte.
Zuccotti
Maurizio
M
Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Sezione di Istologia ed Embriologia, Universita' degli Studi di Parma, Via Volturno 39, 43100 Parma, Italy. maurizio.zuccotti@unipv.it
Garagna
Silvia
S
Merico
Valeria
V
Monti
Manuela
M
Alberto Redi
Carlo
C
D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D051379:Mice; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000254:growth & development*
D002843:Chromatin