title: Roles of actin binding proteins in mammalian oocyte maturation and beyond.
abstract: Actin nucleation factors, which promote the formation of new actin filaments, have emerged in the last decade as key regulatory factors controlling asymmetric division in mammalian oocytes. Actin nucleators such as formin-2, spire, and the ARP2/3 complex have been found to be important regulators of actin remodeling during oocyte maturation. Another class of actin-binding proteins including cofilin, tropomyosin, myosin motors, capping proteins, tropomodulin, and Ezrin-Radixin-Moesin proteins are thought to control actin cytoskeleton dynamics at various steps of oocyte maturation. In addition, actin dynamics controlling asymmetric-symmetric transitions after fertilization is a new area of investigation. Taken together, defining the mechanisms by which actin-binding proteins regulate actin cytoskeletons is crucial for understanding the basic biology of mammalian gamete formation and pre-implantation development.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Animal Sciences , Chungbuk National University , Cheong-Ju , ChungChungBuk-do , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Suk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Namgoong
authors.affiliation: a Department of Animal Sciences , Chungbuk National University , Cheong-Ju , ChungChungBuk-do , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Hyung
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000378:metabolism*; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D058105:Polymerization
chemical_list: D008840:Microfilament Proteins
keywords: actin; actin-binding proteins; asymmetric division; oocyte maturation