Evidence for the Presence of a Low Molecular Weight Factor in Sera from Various Animals that Induces in vitro Maturation of Fish Oocytes

Studies were made on whether sera from various animals or serum components could induce in vitro maturation of medaka oocytes in the absence of any exogenous hormone. When intra-follicular oocytes were preincubated in medium containing serum of some mammals or chickens, and were then washed, they matured during further incubation in the same medium without the serum. In contrast, no remarkable stimulatory effect on oocyte maturation was recognized in sera from some other mammals and from reptiles, amphibian and fish. A dialysate of rabbit serum collected using a cellulose membrane (mol. wt. retention 3,500) also induced in vitro maturation of intra-follicular oocytes. This activity was stable on treatment with proteolytic enzymes or heat-treatment. Small molecular weight fractions with this activity were obtained by filtering the dialysate through Sephadex G-10. The oocytes matured by the serum factor were capable of developing normally beyond the stage of embryonic body formation.
From these results, it is concluded that the serum of higher vertebrates contains a low molecular weight factor that stimulates in vitro nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of intrafollicular fish oocytes.