Teruko Taketo, PhD

Primary Axis: 
Human Reproduction and Development
Email: 
Email contact form
Research Focus: 

Our research interest is the genetic and epigenetic factors that influence the number and quality of oocytes, both of which are critical for female fertility and decline with maternal ageing. Our first research project is to clarify the apoptotic pathway involved in oocyte loss and its association with the failure in the synapsis between homologous chromosomes during the meiotic prophase progression. Our second research project is to identify the cytoplasmic components responsible for the second meiotic spindle assembly in oocytes, which determines the success in embryonic development. The B6.YTIR sex-reversed female mouse provides an excellent model for such studies since its oocytes progress to the second metaphase in culture, however, the meiotic spindles in these oocytes are not properly assembled and the sister chromatids fail to segregate upon fertilization. The results of these studies will promote our understanding of female meiosis and contribute to the management of infertility in humans.

External Website: 
External Website
Keywords: 
sex determination, germ cell, oocyte, meiosis, ovary, testis, cytogenetics
Location: 
Royal Victoria Hospital
Publications:
Alton M, Taketo T. Switch from BAX-dependent to BAX-independent germ cell loss during the development of fetal mouse ovaries. Journal of Cell Science 120: 417-424, 2007.
Obata Y, Villemure M, Kono T, Taketo T. Transmission of Y-chromosomes from XY female mice was made possible by replacement of cytoplasm during oocyte maturation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105: 13918-13923, 2008.
Villemure M, Chen HY, Kurokawa M, Fissore RM, TaketoT. The presence of X-and Y-chromosomes in oocytes leads to impairment in the progression of the second meiotic division. Developmental Biology 301: 1-13, 2007.