Bulteau Rose, Barbier Lucie, Lamour Guillaume, Lemseffer Yassir, Verlhac Marie-Hélène, Tessandier Nicolas, Labrune Elsa, Lenz Martin, Terret Marie-Emilie, Campillo Clément
LAMBE, Univ Evry, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Évry-Courcouronnes, 91025, France.
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, Université PSL, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, 75005, France.
Small. 2025 Jul;21(29):e2500221. doi: 10.1002/smll.202500221. Epub 2025 Mar 30.
Cell mechanical properties regulate biological processes such as oocyte development. Cortical tension is regulated via actomyosin cortex remodeling to ensure optimal oocyte quality. However, the evolution of other mechanical parameters and their relationship with cortex structure remain poorly understood in mammalian oocytes. In this work, a methodology combining multiple mechanical parameters measured through Atomic Force Microscopy is proposed to investigate the relationship between oocyte mechanical properties and cortex organization. By studying mouse oocytes at various stages of development, along with engineered ones with specific cortex organization, it is demonstrated that a thin actin cortex corresponds to stiff oocytes while a thick one is associated with softer oocytes. It is further revealed that maternal age, a critical factor for fertility, affects mouse oocytes mechanics, correlating with alterations in their cortex structure. Finally, it is shown that the evolution of mechanical properties differs between human and mouse oocyte development, highlighting species-specific differences in cortex organization.
细胞力学特性调节诸如卵母细胞发育等生物学过程。皮质张力通过肌动球蛋白皮质重塑来调节，以确保最佳的卵母细胞质量。然而，在哺乳动物卵母细胞中，其他力学参数的演变及其与皮质结构的关系仍知之甚少。在这项工作中，提出了一种结合通过原子力显微镜测量的多个力学参数的方法，以研究卵母细胞力学特性与皮质组织之间的关系。通过研究处于不同发育阶段的小鼠卵母细胞以及具有特定皮质组织的工程化卵母细胞，证明薄的肌动蛋白皮质对应于僵硬的卵母细胞，而厚的肌动蛋白皮质与较软的卵母细胞相关。进一步揭示，生育能力的关键因素——母体年龄，会影响小鼠卵母细胞的力学特性，这与它们皮质结构的改变相关。最后，研究表明，人类和小鼠卵母细胞发育过程中力学特性的演变不同，突出了皮质组织中物种特异性的差异。
