Inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate microinjection triggers activation, but not meiotic maturation in amphibian and starfish oocytes.

Inositol 3,4,5-triphosphate (InsP3) brought about cortical granule exocytosis and elevation of a fertilization membrane, due to a rapid increase of free calcium in cytoplasm, when injected into oocytes of the amphibian Xenopus laevis arrested at second meiotic metaphase. The same result was observed when injection was performed into oocytes of the starfish Marthasterias glacialis arrested either at the first meiotic prophase or after completion of meiosis. Although meiotic maturation was induced in both animals by specific hormones which have been previously shown to release Ca2+ within cytoplasm, InsP3 microinjection into prophase-arrested oocytes did not release them from prophase block.