title: Control of homologous chromosome division in the mammalian oocyte.
abstract: Homologous chromosomes are segregated during the first meiotic division (meiosis I). Unfortunately, human oocytes are particularly susceptible to mis-segregation errors, so generating aneuploid, often non-viable, embryos. Here we review the cell biology of meiosis I and how homolog disjunction is regulated for mammalian oocytes. We focus on the activity of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), which is responsible for timely degradation of the cohesin component, REC8 and the cyclin B regulatory subunit of maturation-promoting factor, both essential steps for meiosis I completion. In particular, we examine the role played by the spindle assembly checkpoint in controlling the APC/C activity, and in so doing ensuring accurate disjunction of homologs.
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia. Janet.Holt@newcastle.edu.au
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Keith T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000782:Aneuploidy; D000818:Animals; D020090:Chromosome Segregation / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*