Rebecca L. Krisher is Research Director at the National Foundation of Fertility Research.

• Contributors xiPreface xiiiAcknowledgments xvChapter 1 Oocyte Development before and during Folliculogenesis 1Melissa Pepling1.1 Introduction 11.2 Germ Cell Cyst and Ovigerous Cord Formation 11.3 Meiotic Entry and Progression 41.4 Follicle Formation 61.5 Follicle Development 91.6 Steroid Hormone Signaling in Oocyte Development 131.7 Summary 14References 14Chapter 2 The In Vitro Culture of Ovarian Follicles: A Brief History and Current Considerations 21Bahar Uslu and Joshua Johnson2.1 Introduction 212.2 A Brief Historical Review of In Vitro Follicle Culture 232.3 State-of-the-Art In Vitro Follicle Culture 242.4 The Future of Ovarian Follicle Culture 28Acknowledgments 29References 29Chapter 3 Regulation of Oocyte Meiotic Resumption by Somatic Cells 35Masayuki Shimada3.1 Meiotic Resumption Is Negatively Regulated in a cAMP-Dependent Manner 353.2 The Regulation of cAMP Level in Mouse Oocytes 373.3 The Expression and Roles of PDEs in both Cumulus Cells and Oocytes in Domestic Animals 383.4 Closure of Gap Junctional Communication 393.5 How to Activate the ERK1/2 Pathway in Cumulus Cells of COC 433.6 ERK1/2 in Cumulus Cells Is Required for Meiotic Resumption 453.7 Dynamic Changes of Kinase Activities within Oocytes 473.8 Conclusion 49References 49Chapter 4 Oocyte-Secreted Factors in Domestic Animals 55Jeremy G. Thompson, David G. Mottershead, and Robert B. Gilchrist4.1 Introduction 554.2 Historical Background 564.3 Localization and Specificity 574.4 Structure and Genetic Diversity of Gdf9 and Bmp15 584.5 Signalling Mechanisms of Gdf9 and Bmp15 604.6 Roles of Oocyte-Secreted Factors 614.7 Manipulation and Use in Reproductive Technologies 644.8 Concluding Remarks 65References 66Chapter 5 MicroRNAs in Oocyte Physiology and Development 71Dawit Tesfaye, Md M. Hossain, and Karl Schellander5.1 Introduction 715.2 Biogenesis of miRNA 715.3 Recognition and Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Target mRNA by miRNA 735.4 miRNA in Germ Cell Differentiation and Oogenesis 745.5 Expression and Regulation of miRNA in Oocyte Development 755.6 miRNAs in Oocyte Maturation and Competence 775.7 miRNAs as Temporal Regulatory Cascades of Maternal mRNA Translation 785.8 miRNAs in Oocyte Development in Relation to Endocrine Control 795.9 miRNA Regulation of Epigenetic Mechanisms in the Oocyte 795.10 Strategic Approaches and Challenges to Study the Role of miRNAs in Oocytes 805.11 Concluding Remarks 81References 81Chapter 6 Bovine Oocyte Gene Expression: Identification of Functional Regulators of Early Embryogenesis 85Swamy K. Tripurani, Jianbo Yao, and George W. Smith6.1 Introduction 856.2 Potential Contribution of Oocyte-Specific Transcriptional and Post-Transcriptional Regulators to Bovine Oocyte Competence: Available Evidence and Gaps in Knowledge 876.3 Maternal Oocyte-Derived Factors Required Specifically for Early Embryogenesis 946.4 Functional Genomics Studies of Bovine Oocyte Competence and Early Embryogenesis: Identification of Novel Mediators 996.5 Conclusions 104References 105Chapter 7 Epigenetic Modifications during Mammalian Oocyte Growth and Meiotic Progression 111Claudia Baumann, Maria M. Viveiros, and Rabindranath De La Fuente7.1 Introduction 1117.2 Establishment of Epigenetic Modifications during Postnatal Oocyte Growth 1127.3 Establishment and Maintenance of DNA Methylation during Oocyte Growth 1147.4 Large-Scale Chromatin Remodeling during Meiotic Division 1177.5 Environmental Effects Adversely Influencing the Female Gamete 1277.6 Chromosome-microtubule Interactions in the Mammalian Oocyte 1307.7 Conclusion 133References 134Chapter 8 Oocyte Calcium Homeostasis 145Zoltan Machaty8.1 Significance of Ca2+ 1458.2 Signaling by Ca2+ 1468.3 Ca2+ Signaling in Oocytes 1508.4 Summary 159References 159Chapter 9 Oocyte Metabolism and Its Relationship to Developmental Competence 165Rebecca L. Krisher and Jason R. Herrick9.1 Introduction 1659.2 Energy Substrates, In Vivo and In Vitro 1679.3 Limitations of Oocyte Metabolism Assessment 1699.4 Mitochondrial Function in the Oocyte 1709.5 Cattle Oocyte Metabolism 1719.6 Pig Oocyte Metabolism 1739.7 Mouse Oocyte Metabolism 1739.8 Oocyte Metabolism in Other Species 1749.9 Oocyte Metabolism of Fatty Acids 1749.10 Oocyte Metabolism Controls Meiosis: A View across Species 1769.11 Oocyte Metabolism and Redox Balance 1789.12 The Relationship between Oocyte Metabolism and Oocyte Quality 1799.13 Maternal Diet and Disease Can Alter Oocyte Metabolism 1809.14 Oocytes and the Warburg Effect 1819.15 Conclusions 181References 182Chapter 10 Screening for Oocyte Competence 191Marc-Andre Sirard and Mourad Assidi10.1 Introduction 19110.2 Concept of Oocyte Competence 19110.3 Influence of Follicular Parameters on Oocyte Competence 19410.4 Morphological Changes of the COC Associated with Competence 19610.5 Biochemical Changes within the COC Associated with Competence 19610.6 The Use of Coasting to Induce Competence in Large Mammals 19710.7 The Use of Genomic/Gene Expression in Follicular Cells to Assess Oocyte Competence 19810.8 The Use of Genomic/Gene Expression in Cumulus Cells to Assess Oocyte Competence 19910.9 Signaling Pathways Involved in Competence Stimulation 20110.10 Conclusion 201References 202Chapter 11 In Vitro Maturation Environment Affects Developmental Outcome 207Pat Lonergan11.1 Introduction 20711.2 Oocyte Maturation in Vivo 20811.3 In Vitro Embryo Production 20911.4 Improving Oocyte Competence before Removal from the Follicle 21111.5 Improving Oocyte Competence after Removal from the Follicle 21211.6 Effect of Oocyte Environment on Embryo Gene Expression 21311.7 Use of IVM in Practice in Cattle 21411.8 Long-Term Consequences of in Vitro Maturation 21511.9 Concluding Comments 216References 216Abbreviations 219Index 225