Paracrine signalling as intraovarian regulator during Xenopus laevis oogenesis

SERRANO M.A.; LUQUE M.E.; SANCHEZ S.S

Cancún

Congreso; 17th International Congress of Developmental Biology (SDB - LASDB); 2013

Developmental Biology Society-Latin American Society of Developmental Biology

Oogenesis in vertebrates has been well characterized as the result of an harmonic regulation between different signaling systems such as endocrine and juxtacrine . Throughout the last decade, paracrine factors like the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have been identified as fundamental for the correct progression of oogenesis. In this sense, BMPs have become integrated into the whole oogenesis process as intraovarian regulators. Not much is known about paracrine regulation during oogenesis in oviparous vertebrates, where the process has the additional complexity of the delicately controlled vitellogenesis. This is characterized by hepatic production of the glycoprotein vitellogenin (VTG) that is transported via the bloodstream to the ovary where it is incorporated by oocytes. It is known that in the amphibian ovary the three different stages previtellogenesis, vitellogenesis and maturation are regulated by endocrine and juxtacrine, mediated by gap junction, signaling. In the present study, we examine the participation of BMP factors during Xenopus laevis previtellogenesis and vitellogenesis. To analyse the participation of paracrine signaling, we first determined the gene expression of the different members of the BMP family through oogenesis. To determine a functional role of the paracrine factors and a possible interaction with endocrine and juxtacrine signaling, we performed different assays with the BMP pathway inhibitor LDN-193189. The results showed that BMPs are implicated in Xenopus laevis oogenesis, a complex process coordinated by a cross-talk between the molecules of different signaling pathways.