Regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase 3/1 activity during meiosis resumption in
mammals |
| |
Authors: | Radek PROCHAZKA Milan BLAHA |
| |
Institution: | 1)Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 277 21 Libechov, Czech Republic |
| |
Abstract: | In vivo, resumption of oocyte meiosis occurs in large ovarian follicles after the
preovulatory surge of luteinizing hormone (LH). The LH surge leads to the activation of a broad signaling
network in mural granulosa cells equipped with LH receptors. The signals generated in the mural granulosa
cells are further augmented by locally produced peptides or steroids and transferred to the cumulus cell
compartment and the oocyte itself. Over the last decade, essential progress has been made in the
identification of molecular events associated with the final maturation and ovulation of mammalian oocytes.
All new evidence argues for a multiple roles of mitogen-activated protein kinase 3/1 (MAPK3/1) in the
gonadotropin-induced ovulation processes. However, the knowledge of gonadotropin-induced signaling pathways
leading to MAPK3/1 activation in follicular cells seems limited. To date, only the LH-induced transactivation
of the epidermal growth factor receptor/MAPK3/1 pathway has been described in granulosa/cumulus cells even
though other mechanisms of MAPK3/1 activation have been detected in other types of cells. In this review, we
aimed to summarize recent advances in the elucidation of gonadotropin-induced mechanisms leading to the
activation of MAPK3/1 in preovulatory follicles and cultured cumulus-oocyte complexes and to point out a
specific role of this kinase in the processes accompanying final maturation of the mammalian oocyte. |
| |
Keywords: | Cumulus-oocyte complexes Meiosis resumption Mitogen-activated protein kinase 3/1 (MAPK3/1) Preovulatory follicle |
|
|