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Cytoplasmic factor responsible for germinal vesicle breakdown and meiotic maturation in starfish oocyte

Nature volume 260, pages 321–322 (1976)Cite this article

Abstract

IN starfish, the first maturation division of oocytes within an ovary is arrested at a late stage of prophase. It is resumed after stimulation by 1-methyladenine (1-MA) produced in the follicle cells under the influence of the gonadstimulating hormonal peptide, released from the nervous tissues1–3. 1-MA induces breakdown of the germinal vesicle and maturation of oocytes isolated in seawater2. When it causes maturation, 1-MA first acts on the oocyte surface4,5 to bring about cytoplasmic maturation, which is manifest in the acquisition of fertilisability6. The change in the cortical region of the oocyte under the influence of 1-MA is believed to produce a cytoplasmic factor which induces germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), leading to the completion of oocyte maturation. We now report microinjection experiments that provide evidence of such a cytoplasmic factor in the starfish Asterina pectinifera.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Physiology, Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Nakano, Tokyo, 164, Japan

    TAKEO KISHIMOTO & HARUO KANATANI

Authors
  1. TAKEO KISHIMOTO
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  2. HARUO KANATANI
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KISHIMOTO, T., KANATANI, H. Cytoplasmic factor responsible for germinal vesicle breakdown and meiotic maturation in starfish oocyte. Nature 260, 321–322 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/260321a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/260321a0

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