Activin A stimulates meiotic maturation of the rat oocyte in vitro |
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| Authors: | M Itoh M Igarashi K Yamada Y Hasegawa M Seki Y Eto H Shibai |
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| Institution: | Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan. |
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| Abstract: | The effect of activin A on meiotic maturation was analyzed in oocytes from immature rats treated with PMSG. Activin A, which was purified as the erythroid differentiation factor, accelerated the maturation of not only follicle-enclosed oocytes and oocyte-cumulus complexes, but also denuded oocytes, as measured by an increase in the percentage of oocytes with germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Oocyte maturation was not accelerated by activin A in the presence of the inhibitor of GVBD such as cyclic-AMP. These results showed activin A is a potent in vitro stimulator of oocyte maturation. |
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