Regulation of the G2/M transition in rodent oocytes.
Regulation of maturation in meiotically competent mammalian oocytes is a complex process involving the carefully coordinated exchange of signals between the somatic and germ cell compartments of the ovarian follicle via paracrine and cell-cell coupling pathways. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of how such signaling controls both meiotic arrest and gonadotropin-triggered meiotic resumption in competent oocytes and relates them to the historical context. Emphasis will be on rodent systems, where many of these new findings have taken place. A regulatory scheme is then proposed that integrates this information into an overall framework for meiotic regulation that demonstrates the complex interplay between different follicular compartments.
Downs
Stephen M
SM
Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233, USA. stephen.downs@marquette.edu
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D016195:G2 Phase / Q000502:physiology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D012377:Rodentia; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*