NAME: Terry Boyce
PROJECT TITLE: Role of Pten in Oocyte Development

Pten (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten) plays critical roles in multiple cellular processes, including cell growth, survival, migration and transformation. A role of Pten in mammalian gamete cells, however, has not been much explored. In this study, we investigate the expression and localization of Pten in mouse gametes. Pten mRNA is found in round spermatids, germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes and metaphase II (MII) eggs. Pten protein is detected in sperm, GV oocytes and MII eggs. Furthermore, the localization of Pten in sperm has been observed in the midpiece and the neck region. In GV oocytes and MII eggs, Pten is found to be distributed homogenously throughout the cell. These findings provide a foundation to study the biological significance of Pten in mammalian gamete function and gametogenesis.