[Functional expression of plasma membrane proteins in the Xenopus laevis oocyte system]

A review is presented of the possibilities of using Xenopus oocytes for molecular-biological studies. Combination of biochemical, electrophysiological, and molecular-genetic methods applied to a single oocyte provides exceptional conditions for getting information about the biogenesis, structure function relationships, and modulation of plasma membrane proteins. These investigations are provided for by the oocyte ability to efficiently transcribe and translate foreign genetic information, to correctly process nascent polypeptides to target them to the proper subcellular compartment, and to couple them to the oocyte signaling pathways.