Germinal vesicle breakdown in the Xenopus laevis oocyte: description of a transient microtubular structure.

During progesterone-induced meiotic maturation of Xenopus oocytes in vitro, 7 morphological stages were defined. Using cytological analysis, nuclear breakdown was divided into three stages. Stage 1 corresponded to basal germinal vesicle breakdown. Stage 2 was characterized by the advent and development of a fibrillar network formed by microtubules at the basal part of the nucleus. Below, a lamellar microtubule organizing center (MTOC) was present. Numerous vesicles of smooth endoplasmic reticulum were proximal to both of these structures. During its formation and modification (stages 2 and 3), the fibrillar network migrated towards the animal pole. A prometaphase 1 stage was observed before the formation of the metaphase 1 spindle.