Oogenesis

Oogenesis - the process by which female germ cells develop into mature eggs, or ova - is a complex process involving many important elements of developmental and cellular biology: from cell-cell interactions, complex signalling cascades, specialized cell cycles and cytoskeleton organization. Oocytes from various species (including clam, starfish, xenopus and mouse) are excellent model systems to study the biochemistry of cell division with important implications for basic and clinical research. This book describes the entire process of oogenesis in chronological order with contributions from leading international researchers and chapters covering medical and ethical considerations in oogenic biology. Topics include sex determination and gonadal development, control of meiotic chromosome pairing and homologous recombination, control of meiotic divisions and the remodelling of the oocyte into a totipotent zygote as well as medically-assisted reproduction. This volume is an essential resource for all students, researchers and clinicians in developmental and reproductive biology. Key features: Reaches beyond the study of simply meiosis to cover all aspects of oogenesis Synthesizes recent advances in the field, drawing on studies from different model species Chapter sequence designed to follow the time line in vivo Written by an international panel of expert researchers

Oogenesis - the process by which female germ cells develop intomature eggs, or ova - is a complex process involving many importantelements of developmental and cellular biology: from cell-cellinteractions, complex signalling cascades, specialized cell cyclesand cytoskeleton organization. Oocytes from various species(including clam, starfish, xenopus and mouse) are excellent modelsystems to study the biochemistry of cell division with importantimplications for basic and clinical research.This book describes the entire process of oogenesis inchronological order with contributions from leading internationalresearchers and chapters covering medical and ethicalconsiderations in oogenic biology. Topics include sex determinationand gonadal development, control of meiotic chromosome pairing andhomologous recombination, control of meiotic divisions and theremodelling of the oocyte into a totipotent zygote as well asmedically-assisted reproduction.This volume is an essential resource for all studentsresearchers and clinicians in developmental and reproductivebiology.Key features:* Reaches beyond the study of simply meiosis to cover all aspectsof oogenesis* Synthesizes recent advances in the field, drawing on studiesfrom different model species* Chapter sequence designed to follow the time line invivo* Written by an international panel of expert researchers

List of Contributors.Foreword. (Tim Hunt)Section I: Oocyte Determination.Chapter 1: The Sperm/Oocyte Decision, a C. elegans Perspective(Ronald Ellis).Chapter 2: Sex Determination and Gonadal Development(Alexander Combes, Cassy Spiller and Peter Koopman).Chapter 3 : Clytia hemisphaerica: A Cnidarian Model for StudyingOogenesis (Aldine Amiel, Patrick Chang, Tsuyoshi Momose andEvelyn Houliston).Section II: Oocyte Growth.Chapter 4: Soma-Germline Interactions in the Ovary: anEvolutionary Perspective (David Albertini and JohnBromfield).Section III: Homologous Chromosome Pairing andRecombination.Chapter 5: Homologous Chromosome Pairing and Synapsis duringOogenesis (Susanna Mlynarczyk-Evans and AnneVilleneuve).Chapter 6: Meiotic Recombination in Mammals (SabineSantucci-Darmanin and Fre´de´ric Baudat).Section IV: Meiosis Resumption.Chapter 7: Initiation of the Meiotic Prophase-to-MetaphaseTransition in Mammalian Oocytes (Laurinda A. Jaffe and RachaelP. Norris).Chapter 8: Oocyte-Specific Translational Control Mechanisms(Isabel Novoa, Carolina Eliscovich, Eula`lia Belloc andRau´l Me´ndez).Chapter 9: MPF and the Control of Meiotic Divisions: OldProblems, New Concepts (Catherine Jessus).Section V: The Cytological Events of MeioticDivisions.Chapter 10: Meiotic Spindle Assembly and Chromosome Segregationin Oocytes (Julien Dumont and Ste´phane Brunet).Chapter 11: Mechanisms of Asymmetric Division in MetazoanMeiosis (Marie-He´le`ne Verlhac and Karen WingmanLee).Section VI: Biological Clocks Regulating MeioticDivisions.Chapter 12: The Control of the Metaphase-to-Anaphase Transitionin Meiosis (M. Emilie Terret).Chapter 13: Mechanisms Controlling Maintenance and Exit of theCSF Arrest (Thierry Lorca and Anna Castro).Chapter 14: Cytostatic Arrest: Post-ovulation Arrest UntilFertilization in Metazoan Oocytes (Tomoko Nishiyama, KazunoriTachibana and Takeo Kishimoto).Section VII: Oocyte Ageing in Mammals.Chapter 15: Mammalian Oocyte Population throughout Life(Roger Gosden, Eujin Kim, Bora Lee, Katia Manova and MalcolmFaddy).Section VIII: From Oocyte to Embryo.Chapter 16: Fertilization and the Evolution of Animal GameteProteins (Julian L. Wong and Gary M. Wessel).Chapter 17: Remodelling the Oocyte into a Totipotent Zygote:Degradation of Maternal Products (Jose´-Eduardo GomesJorge Merlet, Julien Burger and Lionel Pintard).Chapter 18: Chromatin Remodelling in Mammalian Oocytes(Rabindranath De La Fuente, Claudia Baumann, Feikun Yang andMaria M. Viveiros).Chapter 19: Follicles and Medically Assisted Reproduction(Susan L. Barrett and Teresa K. Woodruff).Index.