Unlocking the mysteries of the cumulus-oocyte complex—a critical cellular partnership for developmental competence

Excerpt

Structural and functional communications within the cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) are essential for gradual acquisition of oocyte developmental competence during folliculogenesis, and to ensure the occurrence of meiosis resumption after the LH peak, when the activation of the ovulatory cascade triggers final oocyte maturation in vivo. For many decades, cellular and molecular mechanisms during oocyte maturation have been explored in vitro in many species. This has led to the development of in vitro maturation (IVM), which has been intensively applied in combination with IVF in animal reproduction to enhance genetic gain speed in the last two decades. More recently, IVM has been also incorporated in strategies for human assisted reproduction [1]. This issue of JARG contains three interesting and elegant papers reinforcing the relevance of IVM in the ART context (Flageole et al.) (https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s10815-018-1394), the importance of the bovine model for IVM optimization (Razza et al.) (https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s10815-018-1365), and the predictive value of cumulus cell metabolism for oocyte developmental competence (Adrianensses et al.) (https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s10815-018-01398). …