Parthenogenic oocyte activation
AssigneeInfigen, Inc.
InventorsJoan L. Susko-Parrish, David L. Northey, M. Lorraine Leibfried-Rutledge, Steven L. Stice
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Abstract
A process of parthenogenic activation of mammalian oocytes which includes increasing intracellular levels of divalent cations in the oocyte; and reducing phosphorylation of cellular proteins in the oocyte. One method of accomplishing this is by introducing Ca.sup.2+ free cation, such as ionomycin, to the oocyte and then preventing phosphorylation of the cellular proteins within the oocyte by adding a serine-threonine kinase inhibitor, such as 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP).
Claims28
A process for in vitro parthenogenic activation of a mammalian oocyte, comprising the following steps:
- a. increasing intracellular levels of divalent cations in the oocyte;
- and
- b. reducing phosphorylation of cellular proteins in the oocyte.
A process for parthenogenically activating a 10-52 hour mammalian oocyte in a medium, comprising:
- a. increasing intracellular levels of divalent cations in the oocyte by introducing a divalent cation into the oocyte cytoplasm;
- and
- b. reducing phosphorylation of cellular proteins in the oocyte by adding an effective phosphorylation inhibiting amount of a serine-threonine kinase inhibitor to the oocyte.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.