Ovulation and early pregnancy

Part 1 The ovarian egg and ovulation, Tsafriri, et al: the primordial germ cells oogonia oogonial - oogonial proliferation and degeneration, premeiotic DNA synthesis the oocyte - regulation of meiosis initiation, degeneration of oocytes ovarian differentiation and folliculogenesis - ovarian differentiation, folliculogenesis follicular growth - classification of follicles, follicular growth before puberty, fetal life, prepuberty, dynamics of follicular growth in mature mammals general features of follicular growth - the formation of zona pellucida, intercellular communication within the follicle, formation of theca layer, hormonal correlates of follicular growth oocyte growth and developments of meiotic competence - oocyte growth and intercellular communication, biosynthetic activity of growing oocytes, RNA synthesis, protein synthesis, the development of meiotic competence, cytoplasmic factors and meiotic competence, does the development of meiotic competence depend on hormonal stimuli? ovulatory changes - resumption of ovum maturation, gonadotrophin and resumption of oocyte maturation "in vivo", oocyte maturation "in vivo", maturation of follicle-enclosed oocytes, follicular control of oocyte maturation, inhibitory effect of granulosa cells and follicular fluid, OMI purification and characterization, OMI as a peptide, inhibition of oocyte maturation by purine bases and their metabolites, OMI as a physiological regulator of ovum maturation other factors involved in the regulation of meiosis - steroids, steroids as follicular inhibitors of meiosis, do steroids mediate the meiosis - inducing action of LH?, cyclic AMP, role of cumulus cells and of cumulus-oocyte communication - protein phosphorylation, macromolecular synthesis follicular rupture proteolysis and follicular rupture the plasmin activating system and ovulation collagenolysis roles of ovarian steroids in follicular rupture role of eicosanoids platelet activating factor (PAF), concluding remarks. Part 2 Preimplantation development, C.R. Austin: the cleaving eutherian egg and the blastocyst - cleavage and transport patterns and rates, distribution in uterus, cytology of cleavage and compaction, the blastocyst, species differences in blastocyst development, x-inactivation, virus-like particles, diapause, metabolism, protein synthesis and gene action (part contents).