Elucidation of maintenance mechanism of mammalian oocyte dormancy

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K18815
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Integrative animal science
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Nakajima Yuki 九州大学, 稲盛フロンティア研究センター, 特任助教 (50743126)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 卵母細胞 / 休眠 / クロマチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mammalian oocyte develops as a follicle that is enclosed with somatic cells and is ovulated after maturation. However, more than 99% of follicles are arrested during folliculogenesis and its mechanism is unclear. In the present study, therefore, we investigated the mechanism of oocyte dormancy maintenance and that of oocyte activation. We first developed a method to isolate follicles which does not require enzymatic treatment of ovaries. Then, with the use of the developed method, we revealed that nuclei of oocytes in dormant primordial follicles are dominated by euchromatin structure, suggesting an association between dormancy of oocytes and their chromatin structure.

Free Research Field

生命科学