Involvement of the cytoskeleton in early grey crescent formation in axolotl oocytes

Maturing axolotl oocytes which are treated with protein synthesis inhibitors or which are heat-shocked can be induced to reorganize their cytoplasm and to form an early grey crescent. The maturing axolotl oocyte has been used as a model system to study the role of the cytoskeleton in dorsoventral polarization as visualized by grey crescent formation. Results presented here provide evidence for the involvement of microtubules in the formation of the early grey crescent. Whereas inhibitors of microtubule polymerization and antibodies against tubulin both elicit early grey crescent formation, the effect of taxol shows that microtubule polymerization is required at a late stage in this event. The nucleus furnishes important factors required for early grey crescent formation and might play a role in microtubule polymerization.