MicroRNA Expression during Bovine Oocyte Maturation and Fertilization

MicroRNA Expression during Bovine Oocyte Maturation and Fertilization

Successful fertilization and subsequent embryo development rely on complex molecular processes starting with the development of oocyte competence through maturation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that function as gene regulators in many biological systems, including the oocyte and embryo. In order to further explore the roles of miRNAs in oocyte maturation, we employed s...

Control of oocyte meiotic maturation and fertilization.

Sexual reproduction depends upon meiosis for the generation of haploid gamete nuclei, which unite after fertilization to form the diploid zygote. The oocytes of most animal species arrest during meiotic prophase, and complete meiosis in response to intercellular signaling in a process called meiotic maturation. Oocyte meiotic maturation is defined by the transition between diakinesis and metaph...

Bovine microRNomics: Implications during oocyte maturation and pathophysiology of endometrium

In vitro oocyte maturation and fertilization.

Complete functional oocyte maturation involves many complex processes that occur within preovulatory follicles and are initiated and sustained by the gonadotropins, steroid hormones and many recognized and unrecognized factors. The product of oocyte maturation is a mature egg that has complete nuclear, plasma membrane and cytoplasmic changes that enable normal fertilization and subsequent devel...

MicroRNA-21 and PDCD4 expression during in vitro oocyte maturation in pigs

BACKGROUND MicroRNA (miRNA) are small non-coding RNA molecules critical for regulating cellular function, and are abundant in the maturing oocyte and developing embryo. MiRNA-21 (MIR21) has been shown to elicit posttranscriptional gene regulation in several tissues associated with rapid cell proliferation in addition to demonstrating anti-apoptotic features through interactions with PDCD4 mRNA ...