TY - JOUR

T1 - Dissection of the Ovulatory Process Using ex vivo Approaches

AU - Tokmakov, Alexander A.

AU - Stefanov, Vasily E.

AU - Sato, Ken Ichi

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Copyright © 2020 Tokmakov, Stefanov and Sato.

PY - 2020/12/9

Y1 - 2020/12/9

N2 - Ovulation is a unique physiological phenomenon that is essential for sexual reproduction. It refers to the entire process of ovarian follicle responses to hormonal stimulation resulting in the release of mature fertilization-competent oocytes from the follicles and ovaries. Remarkably, ovulation in different species can be reproduced out-of-body with high fidelity. Moreover, most of the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways engaged in this process have been delineated using in vitro ovulation models. Here, we provide an overview of the major molecular and cytological events of ovulation observed in frogs, primarily in the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis, using mainly ex vivo approaches, with the focus on meiotic oocyte maturation and follicle rupture. For the purpose of comparison and generalization, we also refer extensively to ovulation in other biological species, most notoriously, in mammals.

AB - Ovulation is a unique physiological phenomenon that is essential for sexual reproduction. It refers to the entire process of ovarian follicle responses to hormonal stimulation resulting in the release of mature fertilization-competent oocytes from the follicles and ovaries. Remarkably, ovulation in different species can be reproduced out-of-body with high fidelity. Moreover, most of the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways engaged in this process have been delineated using in vitro ovulation models. Here, we provide an overview of the major molecular and cytological events of ovulation observed in frogs, primarily in the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis, using mainly ex vivo approaches, with the focus on meiotic oocyte maturation and follicle rupture. For the purpose of comparison and generalization, we also refer extensively to ovulation in other biological species, most notoriously, in mammals.

KW - follicle rupture

KW - in vitro

KW - maturation

KW - oocyte

KW - ovulation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85098062795&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3389/fcell.2020.605379

DO - 10.3389/fcell.2020.605379

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85098062795

VL - 8

JO - Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

JF - Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

SN - 2296-634X

M1 - 605379

ER -