Analysis of Meiotic Progression by Ex Vivo Culture of Mouse Embryonic Ovaries

Oogenesis is the central process required to produce viable oocytes in female mammals. It is initiated during embryonic development, and it involves the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs) and progresses through the activation of the meiotic program, reaching a crucial phase in prophase I before pausing at diplotene around the time of birth. The significance of meiosis, particularly the prophase I stage, cannot be overstated, as it plays a pivotal role in ensuring the formation of healthy gametes, a prerequisite for successful reproduction. While research has explored meiosis across various organisms, understanding how environmental factors, including radiation, drugs, endocrine disruptors, reproductive age, or diet, influence this complex developmental process remains incomplete. In this chapter, we describe an ex vivo culture method to investigate meiotic prophase I and beyond and the disruption of oogenesis by external factors. Using this methodology, it is possible to evaluate the effects of individual xenobiotics by administering chemicals at specific points during oogenesis. This culture technique was optimized to study the effects of two selected endocrine disruptors (vinclozolin and MEHP), demonstrating that vinclozolin exposure delayed meiotic differentiation and MEHP exposure reduced follicle size. This approach also opens avenues for future applications, involving the exploration of established or novel pharmaceutical substances and their influence on essential events during prophase I, such as homologous recombination and chromosome segregation. These processes collectively dictate the ultimate fitness of oocytes, with potential implications for factors relevant to the reproductive age and fertility.