Protease-mediated activation of Par2 elicits calcium waves during zebrafish egg activation and blastomere cleavage.

ABSTRACT: Successful initiation of animal development requires activation of the egg immediately prior to fusion of gamete pronuclei. In all taxa, this is initiated by waves of calcium transients which transverse across the egg. Calcium waves also occur at cleavage furrows during later blastula cytokinesis. Calcium is released from the endoplasmic reticulum through activation of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptors. Only a subset of the mechanisms employed to generate IP3 during vertebrate egg activation are defined, with strong evidence that other critical mechanisms exist. Serine proteases have been long implicated in egg activation and fertilization. Here, we report that treatment of zebrafish eggs with serine protease inhibitors leads to defective calcium wave propagation and failed egg

SUBMITTER: Ma J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12173237 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature