Growth In Vitro of Granulosa Cell-Oocyte Complexes of the Mouse.

Analysis of the mechanisms that drive the growth and meiotic maturation of the female germ cell, the oocyte, has been greatly facilitated by the development of conditions that support these processes in vitro. Easily identified signposts of oocyte differentiation enable the ability of specific culture conditions to recapitulate normal oocyte development to be robustly assayed. Here we describe a technique for deriving complexes consisting of an oocyte surrounded by somatic granulosa cells from follicles and growing these granulosa cell-oocyte complexes in vitro. Such culture systems are useful for uncovering the principles of germ cell development and for improving our ability to preserve human and animal fertility through assisted reproduction.