Oocyte-derived bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) are key regulators of follicular development. Here we show that these factors control cumulus cell metabolism, particularly glycolysis and cholesterol biosynthesis before the preovulatory surge of luteinizing hormone. Transcripts encoding enzymes for cholesterol biosynthesis were downregulated in bot...

In vitro maturation of rabbit cumulus-enclosed oocytes was fully inhibited in alpha-amanitin- (100 micrograms/ml) and cycloheximide- (5 micrograms/ml) supplemented media. The inhibition was reversible and substantially reduced by delaying the addition of alpha-amanitin (2h) or cycloheximide (3 h). In contrast, both drugs did not inhibit germinal vesicle breakdown in denuded oocytes. Co-culture ...

Cumulus cells are a group of closely associated granulosa cells that surround and nourish oocytes. Previous studies have shown that cumulus cells contribute to oocyte maturation and fertilization through gap junction communication. However, it is not known how this gap junction signaling affects in vivo versus in vitro maturation of oocytes, and their subsequent fertilization and embryonic deve...

This study was designed to investigate the effects of α-tocopherol and granulosa cells monolayer on nuclear maturation and cleavage rates of ovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). The COCs (n = 2814) were matured in maturation medium supplemented with various concentration of α-tocopherol (0, 5, 10, 15 μg/ml), oocytes were incubated at 39 °C with 5 % CO2 for 24 h in three culture systems: (a) m...

BACKGROUND Deficiencies remain in the ability of in vitro-matured human oocytes to acquire full developmental competence and give rise to a healthy pregnancy. A clear deficiency of current systems utilizing human oocytes has been the absence of cumulus cells. In the present study, a three-dimensional (3D) co-culture system exploiting an extracellular matrix was developed and compared to convent...

This study tested the hypothesis that oocyte-derived paracrine factors (ODPFs) regulate miRNA expression in mouse granulosa cells. Expression of mmu-miR-322-5p (miR-322) was higher in mural granulosa cells (MGCs) than in cumulus cells of the Graafian follicles. The expression levels of miR-322 decreased when cumulus cells or MGCs were co-cultured with oocytes denuded of their cumulus cells. Inh...

Mammalian oocytes are deficient in their ability to carry out glycolysis. Therefore, the products of glycolysis that are necessary for oocyte development are provided to oocytes by companion cumulus cells. Mouse oocytes secrete paracrine factors that promote glycolysis in cumulus cells. The objective of this study was to identify paracrine factors secreted by oocytes that promote glycolysis and...

Spinels from cumulus and non-cumulus members of the 0thris ophiolite display a considerable variation in composition. Cumulus pierites and gabbros contain either a primary chromite and/or a reaction spinel formed by reaction with co-existing sili?ate,-" (Cr--A1 varia tion) or intercumulus liquid (Cr--Fe variation). Non-cumulus peridotites contain spinels which vary along a Cr--A1 trend. Harzbur...

Paracrine factors secreted by the oocyte regulate a broad range of cumulus cell functions. Characteristically, cumulus cells have a low incidence of apoptosis and we proposed that this is due to oocyte-secreted factors acting in an anti-apoptotic manner. Bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) were aspirated from abattoir-derived ovaries and oocytectomized (OOX) by microsurgical removal of the oo...