Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Victoria Nixon, Professor Keith Jones
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
At fertilisation of mammalian and ascidian eggs the sperm induces a series of Ca2+ oscillations. These Ca2+ oscillations are triggered by a sperm-borne Ca2+-releasing factor whose identity is still unresolved. In both mammals and ascidians Ca2+ oscillations in eggs are associated with the period leading up to exit from meiosis and entry into the first embryonic cell cycle. Thus, in mammals Ca2+ oscillations continue for several hours but are complete by within 30 min in the ascidian. In mammals and ascidians Ca2+ oscillations stop at around the time when pronuclei form in the 1-cell embryo. There is evidence to show that cell cycle factors are important in regulating the fertilisation Ca2+ signal. If the formation of pronuclei is blocked either in mammals (by spindle disruption) or in ascidians (by clamping maturation promoting factor levels high) then Ca2+ oscillations continue indefinitely. Here, we explore the nature of the sperm Ca2+-releasing factor and examine the relationship between cell cycle resumption and the control of Ca2+ oscillations at fertilisation. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.
Author(s): Nixon VL; Jones KT; McDougall A
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: Biology of the Cell
Year: 2000
Volume: 92
Issue: 3-4
Pages: 187-196
Print publication date: 01/01/2000
ISSN (print): 0248-4900
ISSN (electronic): 1768-322X
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0248-4900(00)01068-6
DOI: 10.1016/S0248-4900(00)01068-6
PubMed id: 11043407
