| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center/Oregon Health and Sciences University, Beaverton, Oregon 97006
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Sergio R. Ojeda, Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 Northwest Avenue, Beaverton, Oregon 97006. E-mail: ojedas{at}ohsu.edu.
In the rat ovary, germ and somatic cells become organized into primordial follicles 48–72 h after birth. Although several genes have been implicated in the control of early follicular growth, less is known about the factors involved in the formation of primordial follicles. Using the method of differential display of mRNAs, we found several genes differentially expressed at the time of follicular assembly. One of them encodes synaptonemal complex protein-1 (SCP1), a core component of the protein complex that maintains recombining chromosomes together during prophase I of the first meiotic division in germ cells. This association, evident during the pachytene stage, ends when chromosomal desynapsis begins in the diplotene stage at the end of prophase I. Oocytes become arrested in the diplotene/dictate stage before becoming enclosed into primordial follicles, suggesting that oocytes must complete meiotic prophase I before becoming competent to direct follicle assembly. We now show that attainment of the diplotene stage results in follicular formation. In developing rat ovaries, SCP1 mRNA expression is confined to oocytes and decreases precipitously within 24 h after birth, preceding the organization of primordial follicles. The premature loss of SCP1, achieved via treatment with an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide targeting SCP1 mRNA, resulted in more oocytes reaching the diplotene stage, as evidenced by a decrease in the number of oocytes containing germ cell nuclear antigen-1 (a nuclear protein whose expression ceases in diplotene) and an increase in the number of oocytes expressing MSY2 (a cytoplasmic Y box protein expressed in oocytes that have become arrested in diplotene). SCP1-deficient ovaries exhibited an increased number of newly formed follicles, suggesting that completion of meiotic prophase I endows oocytes with the ability to orchestrate follicular assembly.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  C. R. Nicholas, K. M. Haston, A. K. Grewall, T. A. Longacre, and R. A. Reijo Pera Transplantation directs oocyte maturation from embryonic stem cells and provides a therapeutic strategy for female infertility Hum. Mol. Genet., November 15, 2009; 18(22): 4376 - 4389. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. R. Nicholas, S. L. Chavez, V. L. Baker, and R. A. Reijo Pera Instructing an Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Oocyte Fate: Lessons from Endogenous Oogenesis Endocr. Rev., May 1, 2009; 30(3): 264 - 283. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Rajareddy, P. Reddy, C. Du, L. Liu, K. Jagarlamudi, W. Tang, Y. Shen, C. Berthet, S. L. Peng, P. Kaldis, et al. p27kip1 (Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 1B) Controls Ovarian Development by Suppressing Follicle Endowment and Activation and Promoting Follicle Atresia in Mice Mol. Endocrinol., September 1, 2007; 21(9): 2189 - 2202. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Mayo, L. Jameson, and T. K. Woodruff Eggs in the Nest Endocrinology, August 1, 2007; 148(8): 3577 - 3579. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Chen, W. N. Jefferson, R. R. Newbold, E. Padilla-Banks, and M. E. Pepling Estradiol, Progesterone, and Genistein Inhibit Oocyte Nest Breakdown and Primordial Follicle Assembly in the Neonatal Mouse Ovary in Vitro and in Vivo Endocrinology, August 1, 2007; 148(8): 3580 - 3590. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. M. Santos, V. L. Workman, G. C. Paull, A. L. Filby, K. J. W. Van Look, P. Kille, and C. R. Tyler Molecular basis of sex and reproductive status in breeding zebrafish Physiol Genomics, July 18, 2007; 30(2): 111 - 122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. Garcia-Rudaz, F. Luna, V. Tapia, B. Kerr, L. Colgin, F. Galimi, G. A. Dissen, N. D. Rawlings, and S. R. Ojeda Fxna, a novel gene differentially expressed in the rat ovary at the time of folliculogenesis, is required for normal ovarian histogenesis Development, March 1, 2007; 134(5): 945 - 957. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J B Kerr, R Duckett, M Myers, K L Britt, T Mladenovska, and J K Findlay Quantification of healthy follicles in the neonatal and adult mouse ovary: evidence for maintenance of primordial follicle supply Reproduction, July 1, 2006; 132(1): 95 - 109. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Endocrinology | Endocrine Reviews | J. Clin. End. & Metab. |
| Molecular Endocrinology | Recent Prog. Horm. Res. | All Endocrine Journals |
