title: The subcortical maternal complex: multiple functions for one biological structure?
abstract: The subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) is a multiprotein complex uniquely expressed in mammalian oocytes and early embryos, essential for zygote progression beyond the first embryonic cell divisions. Similiar to other factors encoded by maternal effect genes, the physiological role of SCMC remains unclear, although recent evidence has provided important molecular insights into different possible functions. Its potential involvement in human fertility is attracting increasing attention; however, the complete story is far from being told. The present mini review provides an overview of recent findings related to the SCMC and discusses its potential physiological role/s with the aim of inspiring new directions for future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy. dbebbere@uniss.it.
authors.forename: D
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5277-5698
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bebbere
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masala
authors.affiliation: The Center for Human Reproduction, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Albertini
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ledda
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000235:genetics*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D015053:Zygote / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D046912:Multiprotein Complexes
keywords: Developmental competence; KHDC3/FILIA; NLRP5/MATER; OOEP/FLOPED; Oocyte; TLE6