FSH诱导卵丘细胞分泌一种促减数分裂物质

本实验利用卵母细胞的体外培养模型,将小鼠卵丘－卵母细胞复合体（CEO）和去卵丘卵母细胞（DO）在体外培养,系统研究了促性腺激素（FSH、hCG）诱导小鼠卵母细胞减数分裂的机制。结果显示,FSH能剂量依赖性地诱导CEO恢复减数分裂（Fig.1),但对DO无影响;hCG对CEO、DO皆无效果（Fig.2);用FSH预处理CEO时间达到1小时后,就能显著诱导卵母细胞成熟,2小时后作用达到最大,不再增强（Fig.3);用FSH处理CEO2小时及24小时的培养液,能诱导DO恢复减数分裂,但预处理卵丘细胞24小时的培养液,并不能诱导DO恢复减数分裂（Fig.4A);这种培养液在70℃下30分钟后,仍能刺激DO成熟（Fig.4B);甾醇类物质合成抑制剂酮康唑,可剂量依赖性地抑制FSH的促减数分裂恢复作用（Fig.5)。这些结果说明,FSH可能诱导卵丘－卵母细胞复合体中的卵丘细胞分泌一种促减数分裂恢复物质;该物质用于卵母细胞,诱导其恢复减数分裂而成熟;这种物质可能是一种甾醇类物质。     

促性腺激素对猪卵丘细胞-卵母细胞复合体体外减数分裂恢复作用的研究

本实验利用猪卵母细胞体外无血清培养技术,选用猪卵泡液中自然存在的次黄嘌呤（ＨＸ）作为卵母细胞自发成熟的抑制剂,研究了促性腺激素对猪卵丘细胞－卵母细胞复合体（ＣＥＯ）减数分裂恢复的具体作用。ＣＥＯ在含有不同浓度的促性腺激素（ＦＳＨ,ｈＣＧ,ＦＳＨ＋ｈＣＧ）的培养液中培养２４ｈ,观察卵母细胞减数分裂恢复（ＧＶＢＤ）情况。实验结果如下：１．ＦＳＨ（１－５００ＩＵ／Ｌ）能够明显刺激ＣＥＯ克服ＨＸ的抑制作用而恢复减数分裂（Ｐ＜０．０５）,该作用具有剂量依赖性;２．ｈＣＧ（１－５００ＩＵ／Ｌ）对ＣＥＯ减数分裂的恢复无明显作用;３．ｈＣＧ（１０－５００ＩＵ／Ｌ）与ＦＳＨ（１０,１００ＩＵ／Ｌ）无协同作用。上述结果表明,猪ＣＥＯ减数分裂的恢复可能主要依赖于ＦＳＨ的作用,该作用能使猪卵丘细胞产生一种或几种阳性因子,作用于卵母细胞,从而克服ＨＸ的抑制作用而恢复减数分裂。ｈＣＧ无明显作用,可能是因为卵丘细胞上没有ＬＨ受体或ＬＨ受体的数量不足     

促性腺激素对猪卵丘细胞—卵母细胞复合体体外减数分裂？…

本实验利用猪卵母细胞体外无血清培养技术,选用猪卵泡液中自然存在的次黄嘌呤（ＨＸ）作为卵母细胞自发成熟的抑制剂,研究附了中性腺激素对猪卵丘细胞－卵母细胞复体（Ｃ ＥＯ）减数分裂恢复的具体作用。ＣＥＯ在含有不同浓度的促性腺激素（ＦＳＨ,ｈＣＧ,ＦＳＨ＋ｈＣＧ）的培养液中培养２４ｈ,观察卵母细胞减数分裂恢复（ＧＶＢＤ）情况。实验结果如下：１．ＦＳＨ（１－５００ＩＵ／Ｌ）能够明显刺激ＣＥＯ克服ＨＸ的抑制作     

抗真菌药物影响生殖细胞发育机理的研究

目的：探讨抗真菌药物对促性腺激素诱导的卵母细胞成熟的机理。方法：用小鼠卵母细胞体外培养模型,将小鼠卵母细胞培养在含有次黄嘌呤（ＨＸ,卵母细胞成熟抑制物）的培养注中,观察促卵泡生成素（ＦＳＨ）、两性毒素Ｂ、酮康唑对卵母细胞减数分裂恢复的影响。结果：①ＦＳＨ（１０￣２００ＩＵ／Ｌ）显著刺激卵丘－卵母细胞复合体（ＣＥＯ）克服ＨＸ的抑制而恢复减数分裂,该作用具有剂量依赖性（Ｐ〈０．０５）;②两性霉素Ｂ（０     

不同卵龄小鼠卵母细胞激活和受精的比较研究(英文)

本实验比较了不同卵龄的小鼠卵母细胞受酒精人工刺激后的激活率和体外受精率,以探讨卵母细胞激活和受精的机制。向ＮＩＨ雌鼠腹腔注射孕马血清促性腺激素（ＰＭＳＧ）７．５单位,４８小时后注射人绒毛膜促性激素（ＨＣＧ）７．５单位,于不同时间杀小鼠,取卵母细胞与卵丘细胞的复合体（ＯＣＣ）。从注射ＨＣＧ后到取ＯＣＣ的时间视为卵母细胞的卵龄。将ＯＣＣ置于含８％酒精的Ｍ２中７分钟,再在Ｍ１６中培养５小时后,用０．３ｍｇ／ｍＬ的透明质酸酶去卵丘细胞。卵母细胞形成原核或速即卵裂为激活的标志。将ＯＣＣ加入已获能的精子悬液中,５小时后将从卵丘细胞中释放出来的卵母细胞转移到Ｍ１６中,次日发生卵裂为卵母细胞体外受精和激活的标志。小鼠卵母细胞卵龄为２０ｈ,其激活率为８１．６％,速即卵裂率为４８．０％;而卵龄进一步增加到２４ｈ,激活率和卵裂率转为下降（Ｔａｂｌｅ１）。而卵母细胞受精子激活和受精则不同,卵龄为１５ｈ,卵母细胞的体外受精率为４５．４％;随着卵龄的进一步增加,体外受精率则下降（Ｔａｂｌｅ２）。Ｆｉｇ．１显示：新排出的卵母细胞容易被精子激活而受精;卵龄较大的卵母细胞较易被酒精的人工刺激而激活。可能是卵母细胞从成熟到老化过程中,细胞的结     

家蚕胚胎发育中过氧化氢的代谢(英文)

过氧化氢（Ｈ_２Ｏ_２）是生物体内主要的活性氧来源之一。在超氧化物歧化酶（ＳＯＤ）、过氧化氢酶（ＣＡＴ）等的催化作用下,Ｈ_２Ｏ_２。被降解,释放出活性氧。所以,生物个体发育过程中体内Ｈ_２Ｏ_２、ＳＯＤ和ＣＡＴ含量的变化反映着Ｈ_２Ｏ_２的代谢水平。另外,家蚕是蚕卵滞育昆虫,实验设计考虑到了滞育前后可能会有的差别。取产后１０分钟内的卵为供试材料。采用即时浸酸法解除卵滞育。采用比色法和氧电极法测定并比较家蚕胚胎滞育形成与解除过程中过氧化氢的代谢。结果表明：（１）受精初期（０～４ｈ）,Ｈ_２Ｏ_２含量在２．５ｈ时达到峰值（Ｆｉｇ．１）,相应地ＳＯＤ活性处于较高水平,而ＣＡＴ活性处于最低水平（Ｆｉｇ．２）;（２）胚胎发育过程中（即时浸酸解除滞育）,Ｈ_２Ｏ_２含量除１６８～２１６ｈ处于低水平外均显著高于滞育卵（Ｆｉｇ．３）,ＳＯＤ活性分别在７２ｈ、１６８ｈ,形成小大两峰,后期显著高于滞育卵（Ｆｉｇ．４）,而ＣＡＴ活性７２－１９２ｈ保持平稳,随后急剧上升,前期显著低于滞育卵,后期相反（Ｆｉｇ．５）;（３）滞育形成过程中Ｈ_２Ｏ_２水平变化平缓（Ｆｉｇ．６）,ＳＯＤ活性前期剧烈变动,但后期保持平稳（Ｆｉｇ．７）,ＣＡＴ活性逐步升     

卵丘在卵母细胞成熟中的作用

卵丘是指在卵母细胞外周并与之进行代谢联系的颗粒细胞群;卵丘对于卵母细胞成熟有极其重要的作用。主要表现在卵丘参与维持卵母细胞减数分裂阻滞,诱导卵母细胞减数分裂恢复、支持卵母细胞细胞质的成熟。卵丘形态和卵丘扩展影响卵母细胞成熟。了解卵丘在卵母细胞成熟中的作用有助于帮助人们进一步揭示哺乳动物卵母细胞成熟的机制。     

EGF促进小鼠卵母细胞体外减数分裂启动机制的研究

ＥＧＦ和孕酮对小鼠卵母细胞减数分裂的重新启动具有促进作用,ＥＧＦ的作用是通过促进颗粒细胞分泌孕酮实现的。使用孕酮合成关键酶３β－ＨＳＤ的抑制剂Ｅｐｏｓｔａｎｅ可抑制ＥＧＦ促进单层培养卵巢颗粒细胞的孕酮合成从而降低ＥＧＦ对卵母细胞的促进作用。Ｃａ＾２＋参与了ＥＧＦ和孕酮的促减数分裂重新启动作用。肝素可降低两者的作用。ＥＧＦ和孕酮均可使单个卵丘颗粒细胞内的Ｃａ＾２＋水平出现波动,并且ＥＧＦ使卵丘细胞维     

体外培养条件下促性腺激素对昆明白小鼠卵母细胞成熟及卵丘扩展的影响

研究促卵泡激素（FSH）,人绒毛膜促性腺激素（hCG)对昆明白小鼠卵母细胞成熟和卵丘扩展的影响,以及体外培养时卵丘扩展与卵母细胞成熟之间的关系,FSH可以明显促进次黄嘌吟（HX）抑制条件下的卵丘－卵母细胞复合体CEO卵母细胞成熟及卵丘扩展,其最佳作用剂量为100IU／L,且FSH作用30分钟即可以使CEO获得恢复减数分裂的信息,在HX存在的条件下,FSH处理后10hr,CEO卵丘明显扩展,而生发泡破裂（GVBD）则在16－20hr明显增加,所有卵丘未扩展的CEO中卵母细胞均未发生GVBD,低剂量hCG单独或与FSH共同存在,对CEO卵母细胞成熟及卵丘扩展均无明显影响;高剂量hCG可以部分抑制FSH对卵母细胞成熟的促进作用,结果表明：FSH明显促进CEO卵母细胞成熟及卵丘扩展,而hCG却不具有此作用,体外培养条件下（含次黄嘌呤）,卵丘扩展是卵母细胞成熟的前提条件,但卵母细胞成熟并不需要卵丘完全扩展。     

环境温度影响蟾蜍卵母细胞成熟能力的机制之实验分析

长年饲养在高温（２８－３０℃）环境中雌性中大蟾蜍,它们的卵母细胞可以长足,但经激素处理时,长发泡不破裂,仅显示成熟过程早期阶段的变化。值得注意的是,在孕酮刺激后的高温卵卵质中,出现了一种能诱发低温卵恢复减数分裂的物质,称作为“依赖冬眠因子的促志熟物质”。ＨＦ－ＭＰＳ与ＭＰＦ有不少相似之处,如孕酮处理后,它们在卵质中出现的相仿,它们的形成均不依赖于转录水平,而是依赖于翻译水平的蛋白质合成活动;但亦存     

Cumulus cells of oocyte-cumulus complexes secrete a meiosis-activating substance when stimulated with FSH

The effect of the different follicular cell types on resumption of meiosis was studied during stimulation with FSH. Cumulus enclosed oocytes (CEO), denuded oocytes (DO), and cumulus and mural granulosa cells were used. The resumption of meiosis and oocyte maturation were assessed by the determination of the germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and polar body formation (PB) at the end of a 24 hr culture period in the presence of 4 mM hypoxanthine (HX). The effects of recombinant LH (r-LH) and hCG were also evaluated. Oocyte exposure to the gonadotrophins varied from 5 min to 24 hr (i.e., priming time). Oocytes were obtained from immature gonadotrophin-stimulated and -unstimulated mice. 1. FSH (1 IU/L-75 IU/L) provoked a dose-dependent increase in GVBD and PB in CEO, but not in DO, in stimulated and unstimulated mice. Eight IU/L was sufficient for inducing resumption of meiosis. In contrast, LH and hCG (both 1 IU/L-1500 IU/L) were without effect on GVBD and PB in CEO and DO of oocytes from stimulated and unstimulated mice. A combination of 8IU/L FSH and 4–8 IU/L hCG produced an additive effect, whereas combinations with LH and higher concentrations of hCG had no such effect. 2. A 2 hr priming with FSH (8 IU/L-75 IU/L) induced a dose-dependent oocyte maturation in CEO. Thirty minutes of priming with FSH (75 IU/L) was sufficient for induction of meiotic resumption in CEO. 3. Priming CEO with FSH for 2 hr followed by the separation and repooling of oocytes and cumulus cells induced oocyte maturation. GVBD of new, unprimed DO added to cumulus cells of primed CEO increased slightly but was significant, whereas GVBD in DO isolated from the primed CEO only increased marginally. DO cocultured with FSH-primed cumulus masses seem to be prevented from resuming meiosis. 4. Priming a coculture of granulosa cells and DO with FSH for 2 hr caused a significant increase in GVBD compared to the control, evaluated after 24 hr. In contrast, a 24 hr FSH-priming of a coculture of granulosa cells and DO was without effect on GVBD. 5. A spent medium in which unstimulated cumulus cells or mural granulosa cells had grown was without effect on GVBD in DO. However, a small fraction of the DO resumed meiosis after culture in a spent medium derived from a 2 hr priming of CEO and spent media from 24 hr priming of CEO induced a 2–3 times higher GVBD frequency in the DO compared to the controls. Heat treatment of spent media (70°C, 30 min) from a 24 hr FSH-priming of CEO still induced GVBD in naive DO. The results showed that FSH, in a concentration of as little as 8 IU/L, but not r-LH and hCG, induced within 30 minutes the cumulus cells to produce and after 2 hr to secrete a diffusible heat stable meiosis activating substance. This substance overcame, in a paracrine fashion, the inhibiting effect of HX and induced oocyte maturation directly in DO. The production of this substance, however, was dependent on the initial connection between the cumulus cells and the oocyte, indicating an important 2-way communication between these 2 cell types. The mural granulosa cells did not produce a meiosis inducing activity by stimulation with FSH, but significantly, more DO matured after coculture with the nonstimulated granulosa cells for 24 hr than for 2 hr. It is proposed that the heat stable meiosis activating component of the spent media from the FSH-stimulated CEO belongs to the meiosis activating sterols, MAS, previously isolated from human follicular fluid and from adult bull testes. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 46:296–305, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

小鼠年龄及卵丘—卵母细胞间联接的解离对卵母细胞体外成熟的影响

实验研究了小鼠卵母细胞体外过程中卵丘－卵母细胞间的相互作用。实验小鼠为雌性Ｂ６Ｄ２杂交一代。激素处理４８小时后分离出卵后天和卵母细胞复合体,并培养在含有次黄嘌呤的培养液中。２４小时后检查卵母细胞核成熟情况。     

褪黑素对FSH诱导的小鼠卵母细胞体外成熟的影响

通过次黄嘌呤(HX)阻滞、FSH诱导体外培养模型研究了褪黑素(MT)对小鼠卵母细胞成熟的影响,探讨褪黑素(MT)是否影响小鼠卵母细胞的体外成熟。0.1mg/mL和0.02mg/mL两有效浓度的MT能显著抑制促性腺激素(FSH)诱导的HX阻滞的CEOsGVBD的发生(P<0.05),对PBl的排出虽有一定的抑制作用,但没有统计学意义;MT和次黄嘌呤(HX)对CEOs的自发成熟有协同抑制作用(P<0.01),但在裸卵(DO)自发成熟的阻滞中没有协同效应。MT是调节哺乳动物卵母细胞成熟的重要激素之一,其作用机制可能是通过卵丘细胞实现的。     

Cumulus cells secrete a meiosi-inducing substance by stimulation with forskolin and dibutyric cyclic adenosine monophosphate

The role of the cumulus cells in initiating the resumption of meiosis after exposure to forskolin and dbcAMP was studied in the mouse. The resumption of meiosis was monitored by the percentage of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and polar body formation (PB). The cumulus-enclosed oocytes (CEO) and denuded oocytes (DO) were cultured with and without hypoxanthine (HX) in the culture medium. Three types of experiments were performed: (1) Effect of forskolin on spontaneous resumption of meiosis, i.e. cultures without HX, and two experiments in which HX is present throughout the culture: (2) Effect of transient exposure to forskolin or dibutyric-cyclic adenosinemonophosphate (dbcAMP) on GVBD prior to continued culture without forskolin or dbcAMP (oocyte priming). (3) Priming of CEO with forskolin for 2 hr, separation of cumulus cells and oocytes, followed by coculture of rejoined cumulus cells and oocytes, or coculture of the cumulus cells and new, unprimed DO. (1) Forskolin inhibited a spontaneous resumption of meiosis in a dose-dependent manner during the first 5 hr of culturing. After 22 hr all controls and CEO resumed meiosis, whereas only half of the DO did. (2) At least 1 hr of priming the CEO with forskolin is needed to induce GVBD and PB formation, but forskolin inhibited the resumption of meiosis when present for 24 hr. Similar results were obtained with a high concentration of dbcAMP. (3) A separation and rejoining of oocytes and cumulus cells after priming induced the resumption of meiosis in a significantly greater number of oocytes than in the control oocytes which were not primed. The GVBD of unstimulated DO also increased significantly when cocultured with cumulus cells from primed CEO. The percentage of GVBD in unprimed DO and in DO isolated from primed CEO was the same. We suggest that within 1–2 hr, forskolin and cAMP stimulate cumulus cells to produce a diffusible meiosis-inducing substance which overcomes HX-inhibition and induces oocyte maturation, including both GVBD and PB formation. The CEO must be primed for more than 2 hr before the resumption of meiosis in DO isolated from such CEO is induced. Oocyte-cumulus connections are crucial as far as initiating the production of a meiosis-inducing substance is concerned. Oocyte-cumulus connections are not needed for transferring this substance to the oocyte. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Protein kinase C and intracellular calcium are involved in follicle-stimulating hormone-mediated meiotic resumption of cumulus cell-enclosed porcine oocytes in hypoxanthine-supplemented medium

The present experiments were conducted to examine the hypothesis that follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) can stimulate the hydrolysis of phosphoinositide, generating the intracellular second messengers to activate protein kinase C and mobilizing intracellular calcium, thus inducing oocyte meiotic resumption. Pig cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEO) were cultured for 24 hr in 4 mM hypoxanthine (HX)-supplemented medium and treated with different agents in the following designs: (1) CEO were treated with neomycin (an inhibitor of phosphoinositide hydrolysis) in the presence of FSH or only treated with 7,12-dimethylbenzin(a) anthracene (DMBA, a tumor promoter which can cause phosphorylation of phospholipase C (PLC), formation of inositol triphophate, and mobilization of intracellular calcium) to mimic the direct activation of PLC; (2) CEO were challenged by FSH, together with sphingosine or staurosporine (two kinds of PKC inhibitors); or treated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, an activator of PKC) separately; (3) CEO were primed with BAPTA/AM (an intracellular calcium chelator) or BAPTA/AM +FSH for 60 min, and then transferred into a new culture medium supplemented with FSH but without BAPTA/AM; total culture time was 24 hr. At the end of the culture, the incidence of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) was calculated. The results showed that: (1) FSH (100 U/liter) could stimulate pig CEO to override the arrest of HX and resume meiosis; DMBA (10(-8)-10(-5) M) itself also had such a kind of effect; whereas neomycin, at the level of 10-20 mM, could dramatically inhibit the stimulatory effect of FSH. (2) Staurosporine (10(-9)-10(-6) M) or sphingosine (10(-8)-10(-5) M) could also inhibit the effect of FSH in a dose-dependent manner on stimulating CEO to resume meiosis. However, PMA (10(-8)-10(-5) M) alone had a dual effect on the meiotic resumption of pig CEO. PMA, at the level of 10(-8)-10(-6) M, could stimulate CEO to resume meiosis, and at high concentration of 10(-5) M , it could even enhance the inhibitory effect of HX. (3) Priming CEO with BAPTA/AM only or BAPTA/AM +FSH for 60 min could significantly inhibit the effect of FSH in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that in the process of ligand-mediated meiotic resumption of pig CEO, FSH can stimulate the hydrolysis of phosphoinositide leading to the activation of PKC and mobilization of intracellular calcium; and suggest that multiple signaling pathways and signal interaction are involved in this process.     

Metabolic coupling and ligand-stimulated meiotic maturation in the mouse oocyte-cumulus cell complex.

Cumulus cells are metabolically coupled to the mammalian oocyte via heterologous gap junctions. One function attributed to the gap junctional communications is the transfer of regulatory signals that direct the meiotic state of the oocyte. However, the precise role of these junctions in meiotic maturation is still unclear. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that meiotic resumption is induced by the transfer of a stimulatory signal(s) from the cumulus cells to the oocyte through the gap junctional coupling pathway. We have previously shown that the mitogenic lectin concanavalin A (Con A) induces oocyte maturation in isolated cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEO) when meiotic arrest is maintained with a number of different inhibitory agents [Biol Reprod 1990; 42:413-423]. In the present study, Con A stimulated maturation in dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP)-arrested CEO but not in denuded oocytes cocultured with cumulus cells. Heptanol, a known gap junction uncoupler, effectively prevented Con A- and FSH-induced maturation of intact CEO and dramatically reduced metabolic coupling between cumulus cells and the oocyte. However, this alcohol had no effect on denuded oocytes (DO) or on dbcAMP-arrested CEO in the absence of stimulating ligand. Con A and FSH produced only a minimal loss of coupling. When the effects of heptanol were compared with those of the n-alkanols hexanol and decanol, the efficacies of these agents as suppressors of Con A-stimulated oocyte maturation was directly related to their relative abilities to suppress metabolic coupling.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Glutamine and the maintenance of meiotic arrest in mouse oocytes: influence of culture medium,glucose, and cumulus cells

The selection of culture media and supplements therein has a tremendous impact on the regulation of oocyte maturation in vitro. In the present study, we have evaluated how altering the levels of glutamine in the presence or absence of glucose affects meiotic arrest in cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEO) and denuded oocytes (DO) when cultured in either the simple medium M16 or the more complex Eagle's minimum essential medium (MEM). We have also tested the effectiveness of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in triggering germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB) and purine de novo synthesis in differing MEM culture conditions. When DO were cultured 17-18 hr in hypoxanthine (HX)- or dbcAMP-supplemented M16 medium, neither glucose nor glutamine had any effect on oocyte maturation, with dbcAMP the more effective inhibitor. In the absence of glutamine, cumulus cells promoted meiotic resumption, since significantly lower levels of meiotic arrest were maintained in CEO than in DO by either HX or dbcAMP, but addition of the amino acid dose-dependently decreased the maturation percentage in CEO below that observed in DO. In MEM, glutamine and glucose again had little effect on the maturation of DO, although the percentage of maturing DO in HX-supplemented medium was about 20% lower than that in M16 medium. In the absence of glucose, high levels of maturation were observed in CEO in glutamine-free medium that were dose-dependently lowered by the amino acid. However, when glucose was present, CEO were as effectively arrested as DO when glutamine was absent, with no further effect of the amino acid. This inhibitory action of glucose was dependent on the essential amino acids present in MEM. The effects of glutamine were not due to changes in metabolic coupling between the oocyte and cumulus cells. Measurement of purine de novo synthesis indicated that the maintenance of meiotic arrest as well as FSH induction of meiotic resumption were associated with increases in purine synthesis. We conclude that glucose and glutamine act cooperatively to promote the synthesis of new purine compounds within the somatic compartment and that the timing and duration of such synthesis determines whether meiotic resumption will be suppressed or promoted.     

Fatty acid oxidation and meiotic resumption in mouse oocytes

We have examined the potential role of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) in AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK)‐induced meiotic maturation. Etomoxir and malonyl CoA, two inhibitors of carnitine palmitoyl transferase‐1 (CPT1), and thus FAO, blocked meiotic induction in dbcAMP‐arrested cumulus cell‐enclosed oocytes (CEO) and denuded oocytes (DO) by the AMPK activator, AICAR. C75, an activator of CPT1 and FAO, stimulated meiotic resumption in CEO and DO. This effect was insensitive to the AMPK inhibitor, compound C, indicating an action downstream of AMPK. Palmitic acid or carnitine also promoted meiotic resumption in DO in the presence of AICAR. Since C75 also suppresses the activity of fatty acid synthase (FAS), we tested another FAS inhibitor, cerulenin. Cerulenin stimulated maturation in arrested oocytes, but to a lesser extent, exhibited significantly slower kinetics and was effective in CEO but not DO. Moreover, etomoxir completely blocked C75‐induced maturation but was ineffective in cerulenin‐treated oocytes, suggesting that the meiosis‐inducing action of C75 is through activation of FAO within the oocyte, while that of cerulenin is independent of FAO and acts within the cumulus cells. Finally, we determined that long chain, but not short chain, fatty acyl carnitine derivatives were stimulatory to oocyte maturation. Palmitoyl carnitine stimulated maturation in both CEO and DO, with rapid kinetics in DO; this effect was blocked by mercaptoacetate, a downstream inhibitor of FAO. These results indicate that activation of AMPK stimulates meiotic resumption in mouse oocytes by eliminating a block to FAO. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 76: 844–853, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.