Publications (2)6.53 Total impact
-
Article: Simulated microgravity compromises mouse oocyte maturation by disrupting meiotic spindle organization and inducing cytoplasmic blebbing.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: In the present study, we discovered that mouse oocyte maturation was inhibited by simulated microgravity via disturbing spindle organization. We cultured mouse oocytes under microgravity condition simulated by NASA's rotary cell culture system, examined the maturation rate and observed the spindle morphology (organization of cytoskeleton) during the mouse oocytes meiotic maturation. While the rate of germinal vesicle breakdown did not differ between 1 g gravity and simulated microgravity, rate of oocyte maturation decreased significantly in simulated microgravity. The rate of maturation was 8.94% in simulated microgravity and was 73.0% in 1 g gravity. The results show that the maturation of mouse oocytes in vitro was inhibited by the simulated microgravity. The spindle morphology observation shows that the microtubules and chromosomes can not form a complete spindle during oocyte meiotic maturation under simulated microgravity. And the disorder of γ-tubulin may partially result in disorganization of microtubules under simulated microgravity. These observations suggest that the meiotic spindle organization is gravity dependent. Although the spindle organization was disrupted by simulated microgravity, the function and organization of microfilaments were not pronouncedly affected by simulated microgravity. And we found that simulated microgravity induced oocytes cytoplasmic blebbing via an unknown mechanism. Transmission electron microscope detection showed that the components of the blebs were identified with the cytoplasm. Collectively, these results indicated that the simulated microgravity inhibits mouse oocyte maturation via disturbing spindle organization and inducing cytoplasmic blebbing.PLoS ONE 01/2011; 6(7):e22214. · 4.09 Impact Factor -
Article: Developmental stage-specific imprinting of IPL in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa).
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Imprinted in placenta and liver (IPL) gene has been identified as an imprinted gene in the mouse and human. Its sequence and imprinting status, however, have not been determined in the domestic pigs. In the present study, a 259 base pair-specific sequence for IPL gene of the domestic pig was obtained and a novel SNP, a T/C transition, was identified in IPL exon 1. The C allele of this polymorphism was found to be the predominant allele in Landrace,Yorkshire, and Duroc. The frequency of CC genotype and C allele are different in Duroc as compared with Yorkshire (P = .038 and P = .005, resp.). Variable imprinting status of this gene was observed in different developmental stages. For example, it is imprinted in 1-day old newborns (expressed from the maternal allele), but imprinting was lost in 180-day-old adult (expressed from both parental alleles). Real-time PCR analysis showed the porcine IPL gene is expressed in all tested eight organ/tissues. The expression level was significantly higher in spleen, duodenum, lung, and bladder of 180-day-old Lantang adult compared to that in 1-day-old newborns Lantang pigs (P < .05). In conclusion, the imprinting of the porcine IPL gene is developmental stage and tissue specific.Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 01/2010; 2010:527539. · 2.44 Impact Factor
