title: The transcriptome of human oocytes.
abstract: The identification of genes and deduced pathways from the mature human oocyte can help us better understand oogenesis, folliculogenesis, fertilization, and embryonic development. Human metaphase II oocytes were used within minutes after removal from the ovary, and its transcriptome was compared with a reference sample consisting of a mixture of total RNA from 10 different normal human tissues not including the ovary. RNA amplification was performed by using a unique protocol. Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 GeneChip arrays were used for hybridizations. Compared with reference samples, there were 5,331 transcripts significantly up-regulated and 7,074 transcripts significantly down-regulated in the oocyte. Of the oocyte up-regulated probe sets, 1,430 have unknown function. A core group of 66 transcripts was identified by intersecting significantly up-regulated genes of the human oocyte with those from the mouse oocyte and from human and mouse embryonic stem cells. GeneChip array results were validated using RT-PCR in a selected set of oocyte-specific genes. Within the up-regulated probe sets, the top overrepresented categories were related to RNA and protein metabolism, followed by DNA metabolism and chromatin modification. This report provides a comprehensive expression baseline of genes expressed in in vivo matured human oocytes. Further understanding of the biological role of these genes may expand our knowledge on meiotic cell cycle, fertilization, chromatin remodeling, lineage commitment, pluripotency, tissue regeneration, and morphogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Cellular Reprogramming Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
authors.forename: Arif Murat
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kocabas
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.forename: Pablo J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Hasan H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Otu
authors.forename: Zeki
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Beyhan
authors.forename: Handan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Can
authors.forename: Wai-Leong
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Guilherme J M
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Halgren
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Jose Bernardo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Cibelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014158:Transcription, Genetic