Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration01:27

Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration

Calcium is an essential signaling molecule required for various cellular functions. Calcium pumps and ion channels on cell and organellar membranes, such as those on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), regulate calcium concentrations inside the cell. They remain closed, keeping the cytosolic calcium levels low at a resting state.
Various transmembrane receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), elicit a response to extracellular signals by increasing cytosolic calcium. Activated GPCRs...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The use of isoflurane to cause multiple large Ca2+ transients in mouse eggs.

Reproduction (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same author

Dynamic regulation of PLCζ by Calmodulin and MARCKS may underlie Calcium oscillations during human fertilisation.

Cell calcium·2026
Same author

A Novel PLCζ Mutation Linked to Male Factor Infertility Induces a Gain-of-Function Effect on Ca<sup>2+</sup> Oscillations in Eggs.

International journal of molecular sciences·2025
Same author

The characteristics of the calcium signals that activate mammalian eggs at fertilization.

Current topics in developmental biology·2025
Same author

Development of Recombinant PLC-Zeta Protein as a Therapeutic Intervention for the Clinical Treatment of Oocyte Activation Failure.

Biomedicines·2024
Same author

Sperm-Induced Ca<sup>2+</sup> Release in Mammalian Eggs: The Roles of PLCζ, InsP<sub>3</sub>, and ATP.

Cells·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Ratiometric Calcium Imaging of Individual Neurons in Behaving Caenorhabditis Elegans
11:26

Ratiometric Calcium Imaging of Individual Neurons in Behaving Caenorhabditis Elegans

Published on: February 7, 2018

Measuring Ca2+ oscillations in mammalian eggs.

Karl Swann1

  • 1School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK, swannk1@cf.ac.uk.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|November 10, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Monitoring calcium oscillations in mammalian eggs during fertilization is crucial. This study introduces two superior fluorescent dyes, PE3 and rhodamine-dextran, for accurate calcium imaging in mouse eggs.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Cellular Physiology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Fertilization in mammalian eggs triggers intracellular free Ca(2+) oscillations.
  • These calcium oscillations are vital for egg activation and development.
  • Mammalian eggs present unique challenges for Ca(2+) imaging compared to somatic cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe effective methods for monitoring intracellular Ca(2+) oscillations in mammalian eggs.
  • To introduce and evaluate two specific fluorescent dyes for Ca(2+) imaging in mouse eggs.
  • To highlight advantages of these dyes over commonly used alternatives like fura2.

Main Methods:

  • Loading mouse eggs with membrane-permeable PE3 (AM form) or microinjected rhodamine-dextran.
  • Utilizing a conventional epifluorescence microscope for fluorescence measurement.

More Related Videos

In Vivo Visualization of Calcium Transients during Fertilization and Early Development in C. elegans
05:11

In Vivo Visualization of Calcium Transients during Fertilization and Early Development in C. elegans

Published on: July 12, 2024

Imaging Calcium in Drosophila at Egg Activation
07:45

Imaging Calcium in Drosophila at Egg Activation

Published on: August 6, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 17, 2026

Ratiometric Calcium Imaging of Individual Neurons in Behaving Caenorhabditis Elegans
11:26

Ratiometric Calcium Imaging of Individual Neurons in Behaving Caenorhabditis Elegans

Published on: February 7, 2018

In Vivo Visualization of Calcium Transients during Fertilization and Early Development in C. elegans
05:11

In Vivo Visualization of Calcium Transients during Fertilization and Early Development in C. elegans

Published on: July 12, 2024

Imaging Calcium in Drosophila at Egg Activation
07:45

Imaging Calcium in Drosophila at Egg Activation

Published on: August 6, 2016

  • Employing a CCD camera for sensitive detection of fluorescence signals.

    • Main Results:

    • PE3 and rhodamine-dextran enable valuable monitoring of Ca(2+) oscillations in mouse eggs.
    • These dyes offer distinct advantages over fura2 for imaging in this context.
    • Successful measurement of fluorescence from dye-loaded eggs was demonstrated.

    Conclusions:

    • PE3 and rhodamine-dextran are effective tools for studying mammalian egg fertilization.
    • These methods provide improved Ca(2+) imaging capabilities for reproductive biology research.
    • The described techniques facilitate a deeper understanding of egg activation processes.