Maternal effect genes: Findings and effects on mouse embryo development.
10.5653/cerm.2014.41.2.47
- Author:
Kyeoung Hwa KIM
1
;
Kyung Ah LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Biomedical Science, College of Life Science, CHA University, Seoul, Korea. leeka@ovary.co.kr
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
Embryonic development;
Maternal factor;
Mice;
Oocytes;
Zygotic gene activation
- MeSH:
Animals;
Cell Lineage;
Embryonic Development*;
Embryonic Structures;
Female;
Fertility;
Mice*;
Oocytes;
Oogenesis;
Organelles;
Pregnancy;
Transcriptional Activation
- From:Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
2014;41(2):47-61
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Stored maternal factors in oocytes regulate oocyte differentiation into embryos during early embryonic development. Before zygotic gene activation (ZGA), these early embryos are mainly dependent on maternal factors for survival, such as macromolecules and subcellular organelles in oocytes. The genes encoding these essential maternal products are referred to as maternal effect genes (MEGs). MEGs accumulate maternal factors during oogenesis and enable ZGA, progression of early embryo development, and the initial establishment of embryonic cell lineages. Disruption of MEGs results in defective embryogenesis. Despite their important functions, only a few mammalian MEGs have been identified. In this review we summarize the roles of known MEGs in mouse fertility, with a particular emphasis on oocytes and early embryonic development. An increased knowledge of the working mechanism of MEGs could ultimately provide a means to regulate oocyte maturation and subsequent early embryonic development.
