Induction of germinal vesicle breakdown in Xenopus laevis oocytes: synergistic action of progesterone and insulin.

Progesterone is the hormone that reinitiates the meiotic division of amphibian oocytes and insulin and insulin-like growth factors are also active on defolliculated oocytes in vitro. We have studied Xenopus laevis oocytes (stage 5-6) of different hormonal sensitivities, obtained from unstimulated and from human chorionic gonadotrophin-stimulated females. Some oocytes from unstimulated females were also precultured with a subthreshold level of progesterone. A dose-dependent potentiating effect of the action of progesterone was observed with insulin, and this was particularly remarkable in low-sensitivity oocytes. Since in the presence of insulin, the optimally effective concentration of progesterone was much reduced (as an example from 1 mumol/1 to 50 nmol/l), it is suggested that an insulin-like growth factor may play a physiological role in the reinitiation of meiosis in ovaries.