Active maturation-promoting factor is present in mature mouse oocytes

Abstract

Cytoplasmic extracts of meiotically mature mouse oocytes were injected into immature Xenopus laevis oocytes, which underwent germinal vesicle breakdown within 2 h. Germinal vesicle breakdown was not inhibited by incubaton of the Xenopus oocytes in cycloheximide (20 µg/ml). Identically prepared extracts of meiotically immature mouse oocytes, arrested at the germinal vesicle stage by dibutyryl cyclic AMP (100 µg/ml), did not induce germinal vesicle breakdown in Xenopus oocytes. The results show that maturationpromoting factor activity appears during the course of oocyte maturation in the mouse. © 1985, Rockefeller University Press., All rights reserved.