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Molecular Reproduction & Development: Volume 76, Issue 11
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/mrd.21108
Subject(s) - lucifer yellow , biology , oocyte , germinal vesicle , ciona intestinalis , microbiology and biotechnology , meiosis , gap junction , follicle , gamete , anatomy , genetics , gene , embryo , endocrinology , intracellular , human fertilization
Abstract Accessory cells participate to the maintenance of the meiotic arrest by transferring small molecules to the oocyte through gap junctions connecting the two compartments. In fact, a loss of gap junctional communication triggers germinal vesicle breakdown in mammalian immature oocytes. Silvestre et al. (this issue) demonstrate a lack of junctional permeability between the oocyte and the follicle cells in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis oocytes using the small fluorescent dye Lucifer Yellow (pseudocolor).