Figure 1

CDC2 accumulates in a single cortical structure in GV stage oocytes. (A, B) 0 h GV stage oocytes labeled for CDC2 (green) and DNA (blue) showing CDC2-accumulation in the cortex of the oocyte (A) and in the GV (B). (C) 0 h GV stage oocyte showing PSTAIR labeling (green) and DNA (blue). PSTAIR also accumulates in a cortical domain. Arrows indicate the area that is shown enlarged in the insets (A', C'), and arrowheads denote the GV. (D) 0 h GV stage oocyte from the same experiment as the oocyte in A, labeled with mouse IgG (moIgG; green) and DNA marker (blue). The image was produced using the same confocal settings and enhancements as in A. All images are Z-projections of 3 consecutive confocal sections. Scale bars represent 20 μm in A-D, and 5 μm in A' and C'. (E) Western blot of CDC2 and PSTAIR on ~250 oocytes (o) and cumulus cells (c) collected during the denuding procedure of these oocytes showing a specific band at ~34 kDa. A HeLa cell lysate (h) was used as positive control. Molecular weight (kDa) is indicated on the left of each set of lanes. (F) Weighted mean percentage ± weighted SEM of GV stage oocytes that contained a CDC2-labeled cortical domain at 0 and 24 hours of maturation in 3 independent experiments. Absolute numbers are indicated to the right of the bars (number of positive oocytes/total number of oocytes) and * denotes significant difference (P < 0.05).