Mechanisms regulating oocyte meiotic resumption: roles of mitogen-activated protein kinase

Oocyte meiotic maturation is one of the important physiological requirements for species survival. However, little is known about the detailed events occurring during this process. A number of studies have demonstrated that MAPK plays a pivotal role in the regulation of meiotic cell cycle progression in oocytes, but controversial findings have been reported in both lower vertebrates and mammals. In this review, we summarized the roles of MAPK cascade and related signal pathways in oocyte meiotic reinitiation in both lower vertebrates and mammals. We also tried to reconcile the paradoxical results and highlight the new findings concerning the function of MAPK in both oocytes and the surrounding follicular somatic cells. The unresolved questions and future research directions regarding the role of MAPK in meiotic resumption are addressed.