During fertilization, the egg and the sperm are supposed to contribute precisely one copy of
each chromosome to the embryo. However, human eggs frequently contain an incorrect …

Precisely controlled cell deformations are key to cell migration, division and tissue
morphogenesis, and have been implicated in cell differentiation during development, as well …

BACKGROUND In a growth phase occurring during most of folliculogenesis, the oocyte
produces and accumulates molecules and organelles that are fundamental for the …

When animal cells enter mitosis, they round up to become spherical. This shape change is
accompanied by changes in mechanical properties. Multiple studies using different …

Fertilizable eggs develop from diploid precursor cells termed oocytes. Once every menstrual
cycle, an oocyte matures into a fertilizable egg in the ovary. To this end, the oocyte …

The cortex controls cell shape. In mouse oocytes, the cortex thickens in an Arp2/3-complex-
dependent manner, ensuring chromosome positioning and segregation. Surprisingly, we …

Germ cells are physically coupled to somatic support cells of the gonad during
differentiation, but this coupling must be disrupted when they are mature, freeing them to …

In somatic cells, the position of the cell centroid is dictated by the centrosome. The
centrosome is instrumental in nucleus positioning, the two structures being physically …

During mitosis, cells undergo symmetrical cell division, while oocyte meiotic maturation
undergoes two consecutive, asymmetric divisions that generate a totipotent haploid oocyte …

In animal cells, shape is mostly determined by the actomyosin cortex, a thin cytoskeletal
network underlying the plasma membrane. Myosin motors generate tension in the cortex …