COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF THE POLYPEPTIDE PATTERN OF CUMULUS CELLS DURING MATURATION OF PORCINE CUMULUS OOCYTE COMPLEXES IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO

The protein patterns of porcine cumuli oophori matured as intact cumulus oocyte complexes either in vivo or in vitro with or without FSH and LH for 46 h were investigated. In in vivo-matured cumuli oophori, a 53 kDa band disappeared after 24 h maturation, but reappeared at 46 h. Furthermore, the production of a polypeptide with a relative molecular mass of 44 000 ceased and the appearance of 2 other proteins with relative molecular masses of 38 000 and 28 000 was observed. In cumuli oophori matured in vitro with or without addition of FSH and LH the 53 kDa band ceased after a culture period of 12 h. This band was produced again after a culture period of 46 h. In contrast, the polypeptide with the relative molecular mass of 44 000 ceased only in cumuli oophori cultures supplemented with FSH and LH, and the 2 proteins of M(r) 38 000 and 28 000 were detected only in the protein profiles of mature cumuli cultured with FSH and LH. It is concluded that the addition of FSH and LH to the culture medium is necessary for cumuli oophori to synthesize a protein pattern, which corresponds closely to that produced by cumuli oophori matured in vivo.