Another important consequence is that the activated egg resumes meiotic cell division. In the case of amphib ian and most mammalian species, the meiotic cell cycle of unfertilized eggs pauses at metaphase II, and successful http://www.selleckchem.com/products/Cisplatin.html Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries fertilization Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries promotes meiotic resumption and extrusion of the second polar body. These egg activation events are followed by the fusion of maternal and paternal nuclei and the initiation of embryonic cell division that produce an offspring. The sperm induced Ca2 transient, a key event in the initi ation of egg activation, is commonly mediated by inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate, a second messenger that is pro duced by the phospholipase C catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate.

The molecular mechanism operating between egg sperm membrane interaction/fusion and the activation of PLC, however, varies among species in mammals and the newt Cynops pyrrohogaster, introduction of the sperm derived proteins PLC? and citrate synthase, respectively, may account for this task. In these cases, egg sperm membrane fusion, rather than egg sperm membrane interaction, Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries is crucial for initiating the Ca2 transient. On the other hand, for some sea invertebrates, fish and frogs, there is still a debate over the mechanism by which the egg undergoes a Ca2 transient. That sequential activation of the egg asso ciated Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries Src tyrosine kinase and PLC is required for the Ca2 transient in the sea urchin, starfish, fish, and frog suggests that these species employ the membrane interac tion machinery.

Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries Also, some membrane associated mole cules have been postulated as sperm interacting and signal transducing elements in Xenopus eggs. Several studies have evaluated the function of PI 3 kinase in the early developmental processes that operate in oocytes or early embryos of various species. In Xenopus, PI 3 kinase and Akt are required for insulin induced, but not progesterone induced, oocyte maturation , although one report has shown a requirement of PI 3 kinase for progesterone induced oocyte maturation. There are also reports that the activation of subspecies of PI 3 kinase or application of wortmannin induces oocyte maturation. On the other hand, oocyte maturation in the ascidian, mouse and star fish has been shown to require activity of PI 3 kinase. Oocyte specific deletion of PTEN is shown to cause pre mature activation of the primordial follicle cells, sug gesting that a precise level of PIP3 is important for this process.

Moreover, the importance of PI 3 kinase and/or Akt has been demonstrated in FGF dependent apply for it signal transduction and glucose transport in Xenopus oocytes, the first mitotic cell division in the sea urchin and starfish, autocrine mediated survival signaling of mouse two cell embryos, mesoderm induction, gastrulation and neurogenesis in Xenopus.