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Initiation of meiotic maturation in Xenopus laevis oocytes by lanthanum

Nature volume 262, pages 289–290 (1976)Cite this article

Abstract

PROGESTERONE can induce true maturation of isolated amphibian oocytes in vitro1. It has been found recently that the ionophore A23187, in the presence of high magnesium or calcium concentrations, can also promote meiosis in vitro2, and it has been observed that 0.5–1 mM pro-pranolol and some related compounds, are potent inducers of maturational events in Xenopus laevis oocytes3. This last result suggests that displacement of membrane calcium might be involved in maturation, because this is known to occur in other systems treated with high concentrations of propranolol4. We have therefore studied the action of La3+, since this ion is expected to act specifically at the superficial plasma membrane calcium sites5. We report here that maturation is induced by La3+, indicating strongly that calcium ion movements have a role in the initiation of oocyte maturation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Station de Zoologie expérimental, 154 rte de Malagnou, CH Geneva

    SABINE SCHORDERET-SLATKINE

  2. Départment de Pharmacologie, Ecole de Médecine, CH Geneva, Switzerland

    MICHEL SCHORDERET

  3. Unité de Recherches sur le Métabolisme Moléculaire et la Physio-Pathologie des Stéroides de l'Inserm, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Université Paris-Sud, 78 rue du Général Leclerc, 94270, Bicêtre, France

    ETIENNE-EMILE BAULIEU

Authors
  1. SABINE SCHORDERET-SLATKINE
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  2. MICHEL SCHORDERET
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  3. ETIENNE-EMILE BAULIEU
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SCHORDERET-SLATKINE, S., SCHORDERET, M. & BAULIEU, EE. Initiation of meiotic maturation in Xenopus laevis oocytes by lanthanum. Nature 262, 289–290 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/262289a0

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