Expression of Bik, a Pro-Apoptotic Protein, in Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Oocytes

I addressed the role of cell death (apoptosis) within the process of egg cell development in zebrafish, in vitro. Current data on the role of apoptosis in oocyte maturation of zebrafish are conflicting, and little is known about apoptosis regulation at the individual stages of oocyte development. The importance of apoptosis will be determined by recording the relative expression of Bik, a key protein involved in the apoptosis pathway, between zebrafish oocytes that have been induced to mature and those that are left alone. Relative expression of Bik will be measured by Western blot. I expect that Bik expression, and rates of apoptosis, will be relatively higher in cells that will undergo maturation. Meiotic checkpoints in meiosis will provide a means of selection as the cells mature. Additionally, maturing and non-maturing oocytes will be exposed to nocodazole, an apoptosis-inducing drug, as a positive control. We found that regardless of treatment, oocytes underwent apoptosis, though hCG may have hastened the process