FIND ARTICLE

THE ROLE OF CALCIUM IONS IN ACTIVATION OF THE MAMMALIAN EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT

Fertilization of a mouse oocyte triggers oscillations of the concentration of free calcium ions in ooplasm ([Ca2+] i ). Calcium oscillations are generated in a process involving inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP 3 ) produced by phospholipase C zeta (PLC zeta), a sperm specific isoform of phospholipase C. Calcium transients last for several hours until the time of pronuclei formation. The ability to generate and sustain long-lasting oscillations of [Ca2+] i is developed in oocytes during meiotic maturation, i.e.

Differentiation of the thymic epithelial cells

Thymic epithelial cells constitute the major component of the thymus microenvironment responsible for maturation of immunocompetent T-cells. Differentiation of epithelial cells requires a series of stage- and site-specific cellular interactions. In the early stages of histogenesis of the thymus the interactions between pharyngeal endoderm and mesenchymal cells of neural crest take place. They are controlled by the activity of several genes and its products, transcription factors. Suppression of these genes results in various developmental changes in thymus.

The Editorial Board
Andrzej Łukaszyk - przewodniczący, Zofia Bielańska-Osuchowska, Szczepan Biliński, Mieczysław Chorąży, Aleksander Koj, Włodzimierz Korochoda, Leszek Kuźnicki, Aleksandra Stojałowska, Lech Wojtczak

Editorial address:
Katedra i Zakład Histologii i Embriologii Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu, ul. Święcickiego 6, 60-781 Poznań, tel. +48 61 8546453, fax. +48 61 8546440, email: mnowicki@ump.edu.pl

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