The role of protein kinases in spindle formation and chromosome segregation during mammalian oocyte meiosis

Correctly assembled spindle during the first meiotic division is crucial for proper chromosome segregation. Protein kinases from Aurora kinase and Polo-like kinase families are an essential part of mechanisms that affect spindle assembly and take part in chromosome segregation. These kinases play a very specific role in these processes both individually and in cooperation. A defective spindle assembly is often followed by incorrect chromosome segregation, that can lead to aneuploidy. Some aneuploidies cause infertility, others lead to birth defects like Down's syndrome. Human oocyte meiosis is more sensitive to errors in chromosome segregation than mitosis, meiosis in human sperm or meiosis in female gametes in other organisms. This tendency makes the research of Aurora kinases and Polo-like kinases very appealing and eventually rewarding in the context of human reproduction. Keywords Meiosis, oocytes, spindle, microtubule-organising centers, protein kinases, Aurora kinases, Polo-like kinase