Differential effects of specific phosphodiesterase isoenzyme inhibitors on bovine oocyte meiotic maturation, gap junctional communication, and developmental competence / Rebecca Thomas.

Abstract

"The work presented in this thesis demonstrates that the exploitation of subtype-specific PDE inhibitors is a powerful experimental approach to study the oocyte and surrounding cumulus cells in separation, and to investigate the functions of cAMP in the two follicular compartments. The successful use of specific PDE isoenzyme inhibitors will prove important in the development of a clearer and more defined understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of regulating mammalian oocyte maturation." --p. 150.